Wishing I Were You
by Adela H
Summary: Ginny wishes she was rich and an only child. Draco wishes his parents would listen and love. What happens when they get what they wished for?
1. Default Chapter

Prologue  
  
  
Ginny looked at her ragged robes and wished she hadn't spent her vacation money on candies and sweets. Her mother warned her that they were on an extremely tight budget and that Ginny would be expected to start being responsible with her own things. Ginny didn't think her Mother meant that she would have to give up all her summer enjoyment for buying clothes.  
  
She touched her wand to her school robes and muttered a spell that would hem up all the frayed edges and she even managed to get that pumpkin juice stain out. But they still looked worn and old.  
  
"I hate being poor." Ginny sighed, stuffing her robes into her trunk.  
  
She had two more weeks until she'd go back to Hogwarts as a sixth year and she was liking it less and less. She trudged to her book bag to get some quills out when it burst open and an array of spiders and flies came scurrying out, then disappeared in a puff of smoke.  
  
"Fred! George!" Ginny yelled at the top of her lungs.  
  
Just because Fred and George still lived at home didn't mean that Ginny was their free dumby to try their new products on. She turned quickly to her door where she heard muffled laughter. She took three quick strides to the door and flung it open only to find two figures disappearing around the corner.  
  
"Mum!" Ginny exclaimed entering the kitchen. "Fred and George did it again!"  
  
"Did what?" Molly asked after taking a sip of tea.  
  
"They've been in my room and messed around with my stuff! I thought you told them to stay out?" Ginny plopped down in a chair next to her Mother, her face fuming.  
  
"Ginny, I'll have another talk with them." Molly had an amused look on her face.  
  
"It's not funny." Ginny grumbled.  
  
Ginny looked at her Mother and wondered why she had to be the last child. Why she had to be a girl. Why she had to be poor. It wasn't fair to have all these disadvantages thrown at her in one blow. She had imagined herself somewhere else, the only child and rich and could do whatever she liked without anyone telling her she was too little, or too young or too girly to do anything. She would love to just be somewhere else.  
  
Far from where Ginny sat wishing was someone else. Someone else who wished to be in a different situation also.  
  
Draco lay across his bed staring up at the intricate pattern on his ceiling. He had just been grounded to the house after being away for two days and nights without telling his parents where he was going. Upon returning home his Father greeted him with a forceful shove into the wall.  
  
"Where have you been?" He asked, none too lovingly.  
  
"Out." Was all Draco would divulge.  
  
"You had your Mother and I worried."  
  
Draco rolled his eyes and looked beyond his Father.  
  
"Listen to me!" Lucius shook Draco. "You are too old to play these childish games. You hold the Malfoy name and I don't appreciate you tromping it around in the mud. Your gambling debts are outrageous and I refuse to pay them off!"  
  
"Fine!" Draco shouted. "I don't want your name! You can take your name, for all I care, and shove it!"  
  
Lucius narrowed his eyes at his son then put a house arresting spell on him. "Now go to your room." He hissed.  
  
As Draco thought over that little episode he recounted the many stunts he had pulled in the past. He remembered doing these types of things all his life and all he wanted was for his Father to recognize him. But as the years passed his Father's indifference grew. Draco found himself only appreciated for his surface value: Son of Lucius Malfoy. He was seen as an object like every other expensive thing in the house.  
  
"I hate this place." He said to himself.  
  
He wished he could be somewhere where people cared about him. Somewhere where a Mother fussed over him and a Father actually talked to him.  
  
Now there is a certain magic in the air that senses when two people wish for exactly what the other has. A magic as old as time. This free spirited magic noticed these two plights and thought to play a bit of mischief. So when night fell and the two wishers were asleep in their beds the magic acted.  
  
  
(A/N: I just thought of this idea a while ago but am not sure if I want to continue it. If this piques your interest let me know and I'll continue. Thanks!!!) 


	2. Chapter Two

The sun was rising steadily, causing beams of light to dance across the wooden floor. Draco rolled over in bed, trying to hold onto the last bits of sleep he could. He pushed the hand made quilt away from him and kicked it off the bed. Noises were coming from somewhere nearby and Draco's eyes shot open. Someone was in his room.  
  
He sat suddenly in bed, only he wasn't in his bed! And he wasn't in his pajamas, and he definitely wasn't in his room!  
  
"Ah!" Draco shouted, scrambling out of the bed only to get tangled up in the blankets and land hard on the wooden floor.  
  
"Drake." Someone moaned near by. "Either go back to sleep or be quite."  
  
Draco froze. Whoever was in the room knew him. He slowly got up and saw that in the room there were two beds, the one he was sleeping in and another. He gulped then slowly made his way to the other bed where a rather large lump lay.  
  
"Hello?" He asked leaning to see who it was.  
  
"What are you going on about?" The voice sounded irritated then the person in the bed got up. "Great, now I can't go back to sleep. Thank you very much."  
  
"Weasley!?" Draco shouted, seeing the flaming red hair on top of Ron Weasley's head.  
  
"Who were you expecting? The Minister of Magic?" Ron said wiping the sleep out of his eyes.  
  
"Where the heck am I?" Draco demanded, now angry.  
  
"Are you feeling right?" Ron looked worried. "Maybe you should go see Mum."  
  
"Mum?" Draco mimicked Ron. "I certainly wouldn't see your 'Mum.' Now answer me! Where am I?"  
  
"Drake, you're at the Burrow…you know, you're home?"  
  
"Stop calling me 'Drake!' And this is NOT my home!" Draco was now beyond angry. He wanted answers and he wanted answers now!  
  
"Look, I know what you're doing. Just because Mum finally let me put up my Chudley Cannon posters on the walls doesn't mean you have to act like such a prat. Look, they're all on my side of the room anyway." Ron pointed towards the flaming orange posters on the far wall.  
  
"I could care less about your stupid posters!" Draco shouted. "Just tell me how I got here?"  
  
Ron began laughing. "Well, you see, Mum and Dad fell in love, and when two people fall in love—"  
  
"Shut up!" Draco screamed. "That's not what I meant. Where's my clothes? My bed? My house?"  
  
"Oh, and which house is that? Hmm? The Summer Cottage?" Ron mocked.  
  
"No, Malfoy Manor!" Draco shouted, irritated.  
  
Ron's eyes opened wide, then he began laughing. "I knew it! I knew it!" Ron pointed towards Draco. "I knew you liked Malfoy!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Draco was seriously confused.  
  
"Virginia Malfoy! Even though you went on and on about how rude and annoying she was, I knew that—"  
  
"Wait!" Draco yelled, causing Ron to stop mid-sentence. "Virginia Malfoy?" Ron nodded and Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "Hmm, I'm beginning to understand."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ginny knew something was wrong, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She was drifting in and out of sleep and she knew something was different. She clutched the silk sheets close to her chin and—  
  
"Silk sheets?" Ginny opened her eyes to see the forest green silk sheets covering her. "Ahh!" She screamed then scrambled out of bed.  
  
She landed hard on the stone floor, causing a bruise to form on her rear end. As she rubbed her sore spot, she looked around the room. It was very impersonal, there was the bed she had laid in, and a dresser to the side and a wardrobe on the other side of the bed. Two tall windows were drawn shut with intricate detailed curtains and the ceiling matched the curtains. It looked like a guest room, or a museum piece.  
  
"Where am I?" She muttered, standing up.  
  
That's when she noticed what she was wearing. She was definitely not in her usual night attire, which consisted of an overlarge Gryffindor shirt and pink shorts, but a silk night dress. She rubbed the material between two fingers and realized this night dress must have cost what her whole wardrobe was worth.  
  
Just then the door opened and a small house elf appeared.  
  
"Is Mistress ready for breakfast?" The house elf asked timidly. "I is thinking you want to eat in your room."  
  
"What?" Ginny asked, completely confused.  
  
"After what is happening last night with Master, I is thinking you want to eat in your room." The house elf pointed towards the bed and a tray of breakfast food appeared.  
  
"Look, what's going on?" Ginny sounded irritated. "Is this one of Fred and George's jokes? Some sort of dream fantasy or something? Fred! George! I'm telling Mum!" Ginny walked to the curtains and pulled them back but nothing was there. Not under the bed or behind the wardrobe doors. While Ginny was searching the room, the house elf looked quizzically at her actions.  
  
"What is Mistress doing?" The house elf, engrossed in the awkwardness of the moment, forgot her place and immediately began pounding her head on the bed post.  
  
"Stop that." Ginny demanded.  
  
"I is sorry, Mistress, I is forgetting myself."  
  
"Look, where am I?" Ginny thought even if this was some sort of dream Fred and George had concocted for her, she might as well know where she was.  
  
"Mistress Malfoy, I is not understanding."  
  
"What I mean is—" Ginny stopped. Mistress Malfoy? Did the elf just call Ginny Mistress Malfoy? "I'm not at (gulp) Malfoy Manor, am I?" The house elf nodded. "I'm in no way related to (gulp, gulp) Draco?"  
  
"You is an only child! Of course you're not related to Draco Weasley."  
  
"What?" Ginny screamed, causing her voice to echo off the walls, and the house elf to hid under the bed.  
  
  
(A/N: Ok, i realize this chapter is short, but this fic isn't meant to have long chapters. It's just a short novella type thingy, so don't expect long chapters, but I guarantee, it'll have some D/G romance, woo!!) 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Draco was sitting at the kitchen table inside the Burrow. He had decided to play along for a while, just to find out what exactly was going on. This must either be someone's sick joke, or he was dreaming. Stubbing his toe on a loose floorboard ruled out the dream.  
  
He looked around the table at the many faces. Mrs. Weasley was sitting at one end, her plump face bright and cheery. Mr. Weasley was sitting at the other end. Across from himself there was Fred and George…or George and Fred…or whoever! Draco was beginning to get a headache.  
  
"Pass the syrup." A voice next to him said between bites.  
  
Draco turned to look disgustingly at Ron. He had bits of pancake shooting out his mouth and he was shaking his leg irritably, causing the table to vibrate.  
  
"What do you say?" Draco said in silky tones.  
  
"Never mind, I'll get it myself!" Ron stood up and reached across the table to get the syrup and in the process knocking over Draco's glass of milk over his lap. "Oh, I'm sorry!"  
  
"You idiot!" Draco arose from the table, causing his chair to fall backwards.  
  
"Drake, that's enough." Arthur said.  
  
"This wouldn't have happened if you'd have given me the bloody milk!"  
  
"Well all you had to do was say 'please!'"  
  
"I said I was sorry." Ron shot towards Draco.  
  
"Sorry isn't good enough!" Draco shot back.  
  
"Drake, dear, you can just perform a cleaning spell with your wand." Molly smiled, then gave Ron a look that said don't-argue.  
  
"If I even have that in this crazy place!" Draco stalked away from the table and up the stairs to the room he woke up in. "Father? Is this your doing? Alright, I give up! I realize how easy I have it at home. Now get me out of here!"  
  
Much to Draco's dismay he was still in Ron's room in the Burrow. He couldn't believe the horrible luck he had. Whoever did this to him was very thorough. Around the room were pictures of the Weasley family as the kids grew up. Draco was in each and every one of them, only he stood out like a sore thumb. His hair was still silver/blonde and his skin was paler also.  
  
At once a sudden though hit him. If he was here, at the Burrow, apart of the Weasley family…then who was taking his place?  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ginny was sitting demurely in a hard cushioned chair in an elaborately decorated room on the first floor. After forcing a few bites of food down, the house elf notified Ginny that 'Father' wanted to see her down in the sitting room. Upon entering the room Ginny feared she'd some how ruin it!  
  
It looked like one of those rooms where there was a place for everything and everything in its place. Portraits of people were hanging on the dull wallpapered walls. A cabinet containing glass work was up against a wall and a large rug was on the floor. On the outer rim of the rug there was a couch with two matching chairs and in the center was a coffee table. Ginny tiptoed towards the nearest chair and sat slowly down. She dared not move.  
  
Footsteps were heard nearby, coming closer. Ginny's heartbeat increased and she smoothed out the material of her skirt. She was wearing a white blouse with a gray skirt that she had found in the wardrobe. Suddenly a man appeared in the door way. A man Ginny recognized at Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Hello Virginia." He greeted, then entered the room fully and sat across from her in the other chair.  
  
"Hello." Ginny barely whispered.  
  
"I've thought about what happened the other day. We were both outside ourselves and said things we wouldn't have said otherwise."  
  
Ginny's forehead crinkled in confusion.  
  
"School will be starting in a week and it will be your final year so I'll make you a deal." Lucius shifted in his seat, leaning towards Ginny. "You be a good girl and when you graduate without putting our family name to shame I'll pay for your to take a year off to wherever you wish."  
  
Ginny's eyes widened. What did he mean? Of course she was a good girl.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm not—" Ginny started, wanting to tell him she was the victim of some spell gone awry.  
  
"Ah, so I see we're playing that game." Lucius leaned back in his chair, sizing Ginny up. "I know what you've been up to, Virginia. Don't you think I follow your every move? I know where you were the past two nights, too drunk to even tell who's company you were in. This is my final offer or I cut you off completely!"  
  
The finality in his voice caused Ginny to say yes without thinking of what exactly he was trying to make her understand.  
  
"Good, now you can go to your room. I'll release you from the house arrest spell." Lucius stood up and exited the room.  
  
Ginny hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath, but once Lucius's presence was out of the room she exhaled deeply. She wondered back up to her room in a daze trying to piece together everything that was happening. But there was something different in the room. A trunk was at the foot of her bed, and it looked as if this trunk had been all over Europe, considering the different postage stamps on them, mostly from the Knight Bus.  
  
Curious, Ginny opened the trunk and was shocked at what was inside. The clothes were mainly leather; leather pants, skirts that were too short, tops, jackets. Some huge boots were shoved into the corner and lingerie in another. In a little bag Ginny found some accessories, ones she wouldn't even think of buying herself, even on a dare! Rummaging through the clothes Ginny found a half a dozen small notebooks. Each one contained her handwriting, but Ginny couldn't remember ever writing in them.  
  
One of the read, "Woke up in Rome. How the bloody heck did I end up here? Must have been that new mix I took last night. I vowed never to step foot in this forsaken city as long as Serge was here."  
  
There was a small break, then it continued. "Met Serge last night. We made up. Forgot how he tasted, like salt water and wine. On my way back to Cairo. They have the best underground Wizarding clubs!"  
  
Ginny was disgusted at what she had supposedly written. She felt dirty and wished she could soak in a hot bath until she woke up in her own room. She shut the trunk and flung herself across the bed.  
  
"I want to be back home!" She moaned into her pillow. But then it came to her. No one at home even missed her. Someone else took her place. Someone who should be here, right now! 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four:  
  
The Burrow was busy with cleaning. Ron was being pestered to pick up the sitting room while Molly was tending to the kitchen. Draco was asked to pick up the mess on the porch. And all for what? Harry Potter was coming.  
  
"Stupid git!" Draco said to himself.  
  
Even in this morbid existence Potter was the root of his ill luck. He looked at the porch furniture and the leaves that littered the wooden planks. He pulled out his wand, for it was his wand, and not someone elses, and pointed it at the leaves. They stirred some then flew off the porch at an alarming high speed. He sat down on the rocking chair, not wanting to enter the house again.  
  
Draco wasn't one to just lie down and take things, but what could he do? Write a letter? He tried, but each time he put quill to paper what he wrote sounded absurd.  
  
"Dear Father," would not be appropriate to send to Lucius Malfoy if Lucius thought Draco was a Weasley. And any letter for that matter would not seem appropriate. He thought of writing Ginny, but what if she wasn't the same Ginny? What if the real Ginny wasn't apart of this in the first place?  
  
His next unsuccessful attempt at rectifying things was to search every book in the house and see if something like this has happened before. First, there weren't many books, and second the books that were in the house were ridiculous. He was certain that at Malfoy Manor there would be at least a dozen books telling you how to solve your way out of a parallel universe.  
  
So, seeing as there was nothing at present he could do, he contended himself with abiding his time until he could get to Hogwarts and possibly find the answers there. He would even ask Dumbledore if he progressed to desperation.  
  
A noise took Draco away from his thoughts. He saw a dust cloud up ahead and soon a car pulled up to the house. Arthur got out of the front while Harry got out of the passenger side door. Draco narrowed his eyes in hatred.  
  
"Hey Drake!" Harry waved from the car.  
  
Draco sat still causing Harry to look at him in concern.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Harry was now coming up to the house lugging his trunk behind him.  
  
"Only everything." Draco murmured.  
  
"Having a fight with Ron, then?" Harry smiled warmly at Draco.  
  
"No business of yours."  
  
Harry ignored this last comment and entered the house, followed by Arthur. Soon Molly yelled for Draco to come in and he reluctantly got up and entered the house.  
  
"How was your summer, Harry?" Ron asked, taking his trunk for him.  
  
"Drake, help your brother." Molly ordered, then sat Harry down on the couch and offered him a glass of lemonade.  
  
Draco looked in the direction of the stairs where Ron was waiting for him. Draco was not in the mood to argue and fight, so he made his way to the trunk and picked up the other end. Once the trunk was set down in their bedroom Ron said,  
  
"Drake, how come you're so…I don't know…not yourself?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Draco was getting very annoyed with everyone calling him "Drake."  
  
"Well, you're usually ecstatic that Harry's here. You bombard him with questions then explain in detail what you've been up to. And after that you normally owl Creevey."  
  
"Ugh, why would I ever want to contact that sniveling boy?"  
  
"Well, you are friends and in the same year. You like to boast about having Harry over for Holidays and stuff."  
  
"You mean I'm in sixth year?" Draco expressed genuine shock.  
  
"Er…yeah." Ron looked at Draco very weirdly, then left the room.  
  
After getting over his shock he made his way down the stairs and was greeted with peels of laughter. Draco stood away from the group and looked on in confusion.  
  
"Harry just told us about Dudley's girlfriend." Fred explained.  
  
"Which reminds me." Harry pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Draco.  
  
"What's this?" He looked down at a small booklet with cartoon figures painted in bright colors.  
  
"It's a comic book. You said you wanted a Muggle one, so I got you one." Harry waited for the usual thanks, but waited in vain.  
  
"Don't you need to say something to Harry?" Arthur prodded.  
  
Draco looked up from the comic book at everyone in the room. He threw it down on the floor in disgust. "What for? I don't like it."  
  
Draco kept his face emotionless on the outside but he was smiling on the inside. He saw the look of horror on Molly's face, and on everyone elses. It pleased him to see everyone think one of their own was being corrupted.  
  
"I wonder," Thought Draco. "If the real Ginny is here, how is she taking to my Father?"  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ginny was usually a very straight arrow. She got excellent grades, perfect attendance, only lost a few points for Gryffindor, but that was in Snape's class and didn't count. She never did anything wrong, besides talking sometimes when she wasn't supposed to. So it was a radical change for her when everyone around her thought she was some stuck up, rebel child.  
  
Lucius had only talked to her that one time in the study, and since she hadn't seen hide nor hair of him. She did meet Narcissa, however, and thought that was too much to bare.  
  
Narcissa was more pleased with herself than with anything else in the world, and thought Ginny her little doll she could dress and mold. Narcissa never mentioned Ginny's long absences away from the house or eluded to anything she must have done wrong in the past. It was as if each morning Narcissa awoke with no memory of the day before.  
  
"Virginia, sit up straight." Narcissa said from a cushioned chair.  
  
Ginny as sitting at the piano and her bad habit of slouching was not good when Narcissa was in the room. Thankfully Ginny had taken piano lessons from someone long ago and when asked to play, Ginny's skillfull hands danced across the keys.  
  
"We're having company tonight," Narcissa began. "And I have ordered a new robe for you. I'll have Lacy do your hair and you'll look beautiful!"  
  
Ginny looked behind her at Narcissa, who was examining her nails. Many times Ginny thought of explaining her predicament to Narcissa but found her efforts would be futile. Even telling Lucius wouldn't do her any good, for he was no where to be found.  
  
"Where's, um, Father?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Your Father is very busy, dear, and can't be disturbed." Narcissa sighed. "Really, I don't see why you prefer to spend so much time with him. I am much better company."  
  
"I wonder why he hates me." Ginny thought aloud, but Narcissa had heard.  
  
"Hates you?" Narcissa said these words as if they were in a foreign language, and not quite used to the pronunciation. "He doesn't hate you, dear. He just resents the fact that you're not a boy. He'll get used to it, in time."  
  
Used to it? Ginny thought. As if seventeen years wasn't time enough?  
  
As Ginny was being prepared for the dinner that night by being squeezed into a silk robe and her hair being pulled and twisted and piled, Ginny thought about what it must have been like to grow up in this environment.  
  
How did Draco survive? Now that she was here the reason for Lucius's resentment was that she was not a boy. What was it for Draco? It was no wonder Draco would escape this world and not return until days after. At time she felt like screaming and running out the doors and she'd only been here two days.  
  
"Vous êtes très belle…very beautiful." Lacy said in a thick French accent.  
  
"Yes, my dear, magnificent." Narcissa added.  
  
Ginny stared at her reflection in a full length mirror. The deep green on the dress contrasted with her bright vibrant red hair. The material was soft and contoured every curve and flowed out past her knees to the her feet. She didn't look like herself at all. She gave a half smile.  
  
"Dear, that thing you do with your mouth unsettles your countenance." Narcissa said.  
  
"My smile?"  
  
"Yes, that…"  
  
Ginny had thought she was just going down to dinner, but seeing a really nice looking guy at the table unnerved her. Suddenly was very conscious of the way she wobbled in her heels, and the habit she had of slouching her shoulders. She could feel the boys eyes on her until she sat at the other end of the table.  
  
"Virginia." Lucius smiled. "You may remember the Burrens from last summer, and their son, Erik." Lucius waved his hand at the other end of the table where a sniff necked couple sat, and the cute boy…Erik. "I have invited them this evening for dinner, and hope you will show their son around the grounds after dinner while we talk."  
  
Lucius looked at one of the servants standing off towards the back of the room and nodded his head. The servant immediately left the room and soon after reappeared with five other servants, each carrying a tray of food. The soup was dished out into bowls and the rest of the plates were left on the table. Ginny wondered why manual labor was used instead of magic. Probably to show off his money by how many servants he keeps, Ginny thought.  
  
Dinner was very quiet, with Lucius as the main speaker. Talk of matters which Ginny knew nothing of and cared not to learn of were discussed. Occasionally she stole a glance at Erik, feeling her cheeks turn red when she was caught. Soon dinner was over and everyone stood up and walked towards the sitting room.  
  
"Virginia, you may show Erik to the gardens." Lucius said to Ginny, then to the others. "Virginia knows every plant out there and every statue. She's amazing when it comes to art."  
  
Ginny arched her eyebrows at such high praise. Before Lucius wouldn't even look at her, but now she was being lifted up to the clouds! It reminded her of her Grandfather on her Mothers side. One year he traveled to Italy and bought a very expensive painting and hung it over the fireplace. He would rave about the painting to his friends and family and show it off whenever visitors would come. But on one occasion, before Ginny was able to go to Hogwarts, she spent an entire month with him and observed him pass by the painting time and again without so much as a glance at it.  
  
Is that all I'm—Draco—is? Just an expensive painting to show off and ignored later?  
  
Before Ginny could think further on this, she was being led to the gardens. Behind the house there were extensive grounds filled with small paths that led to a rose garden, a hedge grove, and many other flora. There were many statues placed strategically throughout the grounds, and near the house was a very beautiful fountain.  
  
"Tell me about this." Erik said in a very smooth, silky voice.  
  
"Um, well…" Ginny looked at the naked figure of a woman who was tilting a pitcher above her head. The pitcher let forth a steady stream of water, which fell into a small pool below her. Ginny felt embarrassed to be so close to this boy and this naked woman. "It's a statue of a woman holding a pitcher…"  
  
Erik laughed, "I can see that. It's beautiful." He stared up at the figure and Ginny could feel her cheeks turn red.  
  
"Um, yes, isn't it though? We have other statues too, and flowers and stuff." Ginny began walking away from the fountain towards an innocent looking rose garden.  
  
"Isn't it funny how roses reproduce?" Erik said, coming up behind her.  
  
Ginny's eyes widened. Reproduce was just a scientific word for sex.  
  
Erik continued, "The plant has such alluring colors and sweet scents to attract the bees and birds and other insects. They take the pollen then travel to another rose, where some of the previous pollen falls into the flower…and I think you know what happens next." Erik took a lock of Ginny's hair and brought it to his lips. "You are so much like these roses. Your color…your scent. I'm drunk with the thought of you."  
  
Ginny's eyes opened wide, not because of his speech, which caused her heart to beat out of her chest, but because his hands were suddenly on her hips. She had never had a boy so close to her before. She could feel his lips on her neck and for a moment Ginny lost herself, allowing the thundering stream of emotion course through her veins…until his hands began to wonder.  
  
"Hey!" Ginny pushed away from Erik. "Stop it!"  
  
Erik laughed. "Why? I know you like it." Erik came closer but Ginny stepped back. "Stop pretending." Erik snarled. "I know you've gone a lot further with less attractive and well of men. Besides…don't you know it's our parents intentions that we marry?"  
  
"Marry?" Ginny questioned. "That's ridiculous! I'm only seventeen!"  
  
"I thought you were eighteen." Erik paused. "That's besides the point! We're both menaces to our families, and they are willing to go to extremes to get us off their hands. I must admit, though, when I found out I was angry too. But then I saw you, Virginia. I could content myself with you."  
  
"You—could content yourself?" Ginny shook her head in disbelief. "Is that supposed to be romantic?"  
  
"What, you want more romance?" Erik laughed. "You want I should tell you your eyes are like the stars in the sky? Your lips the color of my passion? I thought we could just skip that."  
  
Erik came towards Ginny but she slapped him across the face. He held his hand to his cheek, red with the impact. He looked in disbelief and anger at Ginny, then cursed under his breath.  
  
"You just did the wrong thing." Erik glared at her, then headed towards the house.  
  
After Ginny thought the Burrens had left, she made her own way to the house and was greeted with a very angry Lucius.  
  
"I thought we had a deal!" Lucius yelled.  
  
"That deal didn't include passing me off to some jerk." Ginny meekly said.  
  
"The Burrens are a fine family and would make agreeable allys. Why must you be so objectionable to everything I do?" Lucius paused. "You go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get your school things and I expect you home in two hours time. Get to your room…I'm sick of the site of you."  
  
Ginny's lip quivered. Even though this man was not her Father, she still felt the sting of his blow. No one ever treated her the way he did. No one ever talked to her like that. Before she broke down in tears she ran up to her room and for the first time in her life she pitied Draco Malfoy.  
  
  
(A/N: Ok, another chappy, woo! Not sure when I'll be able to update again, but expect another chappy next week! Thanks guys for your reviews! You all rock!) 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
"Do you think he's well?"  
  
"I don't know, he's been in bed all morning. He won't wake up when I ask him to."  
  
"Maybe I should go in there."  
  
"No, Arthur, let him rest. I think he's going through a phase."  
  
"Well, if he's not up by noon we won't be able to get his school things from Diagon Alley."  
  
"I'll wake him up, don't worry."  
  
Draco heard the muffled voices of Arthur and Molly Weasley from behind the closed door. He rolled over in bed and stared at the flaming orange posters on the wall and grimaced.  
  
He woke up that morning as he did the two mornings before—thinking it was all a dream. But it wasn't. He was still at the Weasley's and being called "Drake" with Harry Potter and Ron sleeping in the same room as himself. He must admit that for some time he had suspected that Ron and Harry had a, well, "thing" for each other. But last night proved him wrong. They spent half the night talking about girls and who'd they like to go out with and who they've kissed. Draco scoffed at their amateur love lives.  
  
The curtains on the windows had been pulled shut but the sun still found a way inside the room. It was beginning to get a little hot and stuffy so Draco got out of bed and prepared for a long day. He groggily walked over to the dresser and opened the drawer to pull out some clothes when there was a loud snap and the drawer slammed shut. Draco blinked his eyes several times, thinking he had only imagined it. He tried opening the drawer again but again it closed shut on him. Brows set in a determined arch, he grabbed the drawer handle with two hands and tried yanking it open, but the stubborn draw refused to give in. That's when he heard the laughing.  
  
Draco let the drawer go and headed towards the door. He opened it up with a rough swing and before him were the twins, stifling their laughter.  
  
"Did you do this?" Draco demanded, pointing towards the drawer.  
  
They both nodded their heads, their smiles reaching from ear to ear. "It's our latest." One of them said.  
  
"It's all apart of the Sibling Rivalry series." The other spoke up.  
  
Draco didn't wait for any more explanation, he ran to his bed and pulled his wand from under his pillow and pointed it at the two. They just laughed at Draco, but when he performed a rather gruesome curse involving green pimples oozing puss, they made a dash down the stairs, followed closely behind by Draco.  
  
Their screams echoed off the walls of the house, curses bouncing off the furniture. Molly entered the living room and brought her hands to her face at the mess that was being made. She grabbed Draco roughly by the collar of his nightshirt and took his wand from his hand. She immediately performed a counter curse on the twins.  
  
"Drake, I don't know what has gotten into you, but it has to stop!" Molly exclaimed. "And you two!" She narrowed her eyes at the twins. "I think you've finally gotten what you deserved. Now run away and leave Drake alone."  
  
The twins left with their heads held down. Draco stopped correcting people when they shortened his name. It was a waste of time and energy.  
  
"Drake, you need to head upstairs and change. Hermione is coming soon and you'll all be going to Dia—" Molly was cut off short by the door bursting open and Harry, Ron and Hermione came inside, talking up a storm. They all stopped when they saw Draco in his nightshirt, Harry and Ron laughing, Hermione blushing.  
  
"Ugh, I hate this house!" Draco yelled, then ran upstairs to change.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ginny sat alone at the breakfast table. Lucius was off somewhere, doing whatever he did when not at home. Narcissa hadn't woken up claiming she had a headache. So Ginny was by herself slowly forking fruit into her mouth. She had received her Hogwarts letter and the list of supplies she would need that year. At first she thought it must have been a mistake for the supplies suggested she was in seventh year. She brought it up to a portrait that hung just outside her bedroom door, but they reprimanded her forgetfulness and told her that she should be glad it was her last year at Hogwarts and soon she'd be doing some real work in the world.  
  
Promptly at twelve o'clock she was in front of a huge fireplace. A vase full of Flu Powder was held out to her and she took a pinch and threw it into the fire. She stepped into the flames and said "Diagon Alley" and was instantly inside the Owl Post that was situated between a candy shop and Madam Malkin's. She felt the heavy weight of the bag of galleons at her side as she made her way down the street. She had counted the money earlier that morning and found that it would have taken thirty years worth of allowance to match what was in the small sack.  
  
She went quickly from shop to shop, buying the many things she would be needing that year. She saw a few familiar faces but turned around in dismay. Everyone here stared at her as if she had an extra eye. All of the people she once had as friends gave her evil glares. After purchasing everything necessary she headed towards the ice cream shop and purchased as much chocolate ice cream she thought she could eat before it melted.  
  
Eating the ice cream she stared at the many faces walking by until she saw her brother's. Ron along with Harry and Hermione passed by, pointing to shops and checking their lists. Directly behind them was Draco Malfoy, er, Weasley. Ginny's heart raced within her chest. She stood up and that's when Draco turned and looked at her. Their eyes met for a second and recognition dawned on Draco. He looked back at Ron and the others, making sure they weren't paying attention, before he made his way towards Ginny.  
  
"I see the little Weasley is spending the Malfoy money rather frivolously." Draco sneered, looking at the large scoops of chocolate ice cream.  
  
Ginny's face blushed. "Stop it, Malfoy."  
  
Suddenly they both looked up in surprise. "You mean you're you?" They both said simultaneously.  
  
"I want my life back!" Draco yelled.  
  
"What happened?" Ginny asked.  
  
"I don't know, but whatever it is I want it reversed."  
  
"I do too!" Ginny defended herself.  
  
Draco looked around at the crowd of people that had begun to stare. He sat down quietly next to Ginny's chair and pulled her down into hers. In low whispers he continued. "Look, this has to be your fault because I don't screw up any of my spells."  
  
Ginny's face turned red with anger. "I didn't do it! What makes you think I'd enjoy a vacation being you?"  
  
"Well at least I'm rich."  
  
"At least my family loves me." Ginny clamped her hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to say it and she felt horrible. Draco merely sat back and scoffed.  
  
"Don't be sorry." He said. "It's true."  
  
"What are we going to do?" Ginny asked, hunching her shoulders in defeat.  
  
"We?" Draco thought about this a while. "I suppose we would have to do something. Seeing as we're stuck in this crazy world together. My plan is to—"  
  
"Hey, Drake!" Ron came running up towards them, followed by Harry. "Malfoy." Ron nodded towards Ginny.  
  
"Where did you go, Drake?" Harry spoke up. "We left Hermione standing in line to get our books when we noticed you were gone. Come on."  
  
"Yeah, don't waste any time with that."  
  
Draco smiled at the forlorn look that came over Ginny's face. He stood up and walked away with Ron and Harry.  
  
  
Ginny began packing up her things and headed back home. Upon return she found that Narcissa was still in her room and Lucius was in his study and not to be disturbed. She ate her meal dejectedly. After eating she left for her room to pack her trunk when a knock was heard on the door.  
  
"A letter, Madame." A man held out a silver platter with a single envelope on it.  
  
Ginny took the letter and waited for the man to leave before she opened it. Written in a very elegant hand it read, "Ginny, now that we know we're in this together, we have to formulate a plan. Meet me the first morning of school by the lake. Draco Malfoy." 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
  
Draco boarded the train along with the others. Draco didn't feel any sadness at not being able to sit with Crabbe and Goyle. The year before they had had a falling out and they hadn't talked since. Draco had spent the rest of last year away from everyone else, escaping the Hogwarts grounds and going into the forest. What really got Draco was everyone coming up to say hello and relate their summer holidays.  
  
He hadn't had so many people coming up to him smiling and chatting he didn't know how to react. He was separated from Ron, Harry and Hermione and was directed towards another compartment by a group of sixth years.  
  
"So how was your summer, Drake?" An unrecognizable face asked.  
  
Draco looked up at the girl, not knowing what to say.  
  
"No need to ask him." Another person started. "His summers are always great. Harry Potter stays with them."  
  
The conversation then turned to Harry and Draco leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, wishing they were already at Hogwarts.  
  
Meanwhile, on the other side of the train, Ginny was sitting quietly in another compartment reading some of the texts for that year. If she was going to be a seventh year, she'd have to work extra hard, seeing as she was only at a sixth year level. She was going through her potions book when the compartment opened and in stepped Crabbe and Goyle. They both looked evilly at the two other people sitting across from Ginny and they immediately left.  
  
"Well," Crabbe began. "If it isn't Virginia."  
  
They both sat across from her, their enormous bodies filling up most of the seat.  
  
"Aren't you going to say 'Hi?'" Goyle asked. "Or do you still think you're too good for us?"  
  
Ginny ran through her memories of last year, trying to find justifiable cause for these two goons to hate the Malfoy heir. She did remember seeing Draco alone a lot and Crabbe and Goyle looking surlyier than usual. But she had no idea how those circumstances came to be.  
  
"Maybe to her we're just two flys on the wall." Crabbe suggested.  
  
Ginny closed her eyes, trying to calm her beating heart. "Ok," She thought to herself. "You are not Ginny Weasley, you're Virginia Malfoy. You're rich, powerful, and you don't have to take crap from anyone." Ginny repeated this over and over until a new since of courage began to grow.  
  
"Maybe we should loosen her tongue for her." The two began laughing, but stopped suddenly when they saw the glare Ginny was giving them.  
  
"You touch me and you'll wish you had never stepped foot on this train." Ginny said, a little shakily, but it was enough to stop the smiles on their faces.  
  
"Oh yeah, what are you going to do?"  
  
"I guess you'll just have to find out. I spent a good time this summer studying some excellent curses that I would just love to try out." Ginny brought her wand out from the fold of her cloak.  
  
"You're bluffing." Goyle said, but he didn't look so sure.  
  
Ginny raised her wand, but Crabbe and Goyle stood up and left. "She's a selfish brat anyway, let's go." She heard them say as they walked down the isle.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ginny was so distraught at knowing she didn't have any real friends, that she couldn't enjoy the beginning of term feast. She hadn't heard a world Dumbledore said, and she barely ate two bites. At the end of the feast she followed the other Slytherin's towards their common room. She looked around, not knowing where to go. She followed a few girls up a winding stair case and along a narrow passage were several doors. Some of them had the names of the years and others had student's names. She looked at all the doors until she came to one that had her name on it, written in silver.  
  
She opened the door and found herself in a circular room with a vaulted roof that ended in a point. The four poster bed had emerald green bed sheets and hanging from the posts were silver drapes that fluttered in the wind coming from the open window next to it. There was a dresser and a wardrobe along with full length mirror. At the end of the bed was her trunk and across from her was another door.  
  
Curious, Ginny walked towards it and opened it. She was greeted by a thick darkness. She pulled out her wand and said lumos and the light from her wand showed her the bathroom. There was a circular tub in the middle that was empty at present. Towels were hanging on the wall to the right and to he left were the toilets.  
  
"Wow." Ginny arched her eyebrows. "Wait 'till my friends hear about this."  
  
On the other side of the castle, in the Gryffindor common room sat Draco. He was sorely disappointed in finding out he'd have to share a room with four other sixth years, along with his bathroom. He was sitting in front of the fire, staring at the dancing flames until someone came up and sat next to him.  
  
"Hey, Drake."  
  
Draco looked up at Harry then rolled his eyes.  
  
"Look, I know you must be going through a lot, being the youngest and all. If you ever need someone to talk to I'm here for you." Harry said.  
  
"Look, I don't need a pep talk from you." Draco said.  
  
"I know you don't, Drake, but if ever you need someone, remember that, ok?"  
  
Draco nodded his head and watched Harry get up an walk towards the boys' dorms. A strange feeling came over Draco. No one had ever offered friendship to Draco unless there were strings attached. If he didn't know any better he'd think Harry was after something.  
  
"Gosh, I can tell this life is gonna suck until I find a way out of here."  
  
  
(A/N: Hey guys, no I have not died or moved or been in a terrible accident that would prevent me from getting online. I've been in school and doing church stuff and dating. WOO, it's a crazy life! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter and I want you to know I'm trying my hardes to update.  
  
Oh yeah, AOL was doing this thing where you send in a video explaining why you should be a "red carpet host" for the COS premier in NY and I entered it and if I am in the top five finalists I'm asking you guys to vote for me! That is of course if you're wonderful video's aren't in the top five!  
  
Thanks a whole bunch! love y'all!) 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven:  
  
Draco had been waiting since breakfast down by the lake and nearly yelled at Ginny as she came walking towards him well into the afternoon.  
  
"Where have you been?" Draco demanded when she finally came within hearing distance.  
  
"What do you mean? I've had classes all morning and—" Ginny was cut off.  
  
"You went to your classes?!?!" Draco yelled. "I've been here since after breakfast waiting for you!"  
  
"You didn't go to your classes?" Draco shook his head. "Well I'm sorry, but I don't want to get into trouble."  
  
"Trouble?" Draco looked as if he were about to rip his hair out by the roots. "This isn't even your life! Once we get back to our normal lives nothing you do here will matter!"  
  
Ginny's eyes widened as she saw Draco grow angrier by the second. She noticed a few students walk past them and begin to giggle.  
  
"Look, Draco, I'm sorry. But I'm not going to screw everyone over as I'm sure you are, just because nothing I do here is going to matter." Ginny's face begun to turn red. "Can you stop yelling?"  
  
Draco stood still, obviously trying to calm himself down. Once he had his temper under control he began again. "Alright, while I was here waiting for you," he gave her an angry glare, "I was thinking of what might have done this to us. Since we both claim we didn't do this, someone or something else must have. I thought it must have been my Father, but I came to the conclusion he wouldn't allow any Weasley step into Malfoy Manor, whether real or not. Do you know anyone that might do this."  
  
Ginny shook her head. "No clue."  
  
"Since neither of us know of anyone who would do this it must not be a someone but a something. I listed in my head of all the beasts and non-humans out there that possess magic that could do this, and that would do this, and I've come up with only a few. But as I thought more on it, the less I think any on that short list know or care we exist."  
  
"So you're basically saying you've got no one."  
  
Draco sighed. "That's correct."  
  
They stood there a few moments longer, both pondering on their circumstance. The summer sun showed down on them and a soft breeze swept by them. Off in the distance the bell from the castle could be heard.  
  
"I have to get to class. Snape'll kill me if I'm late." Ginny said.  
  
"Look, if you're me, Snape won't care if you walk in right when the dismissing bell rings. It's me Snape will be after." Draco said.  
  
"Right. When should we meet again?" Ginny asked, backing away from Draco.  
  
"I guess we should start looking in the library. Let's meet every break we get and after classes."  
  
After settling that they both went off to their classes. Ginny walked alone down to the dungeons, heaving her bag behind her. As she entered she saw the seventh year Gryffindors and the Slytherins look up. Neither houses looked at her pleasantly.  
  
"Excuse for being late?" Snape asked, coming up next to her.  
  
Ginny thought quickly. "I, uh, forgot my book?"  
  
"Very well, have a seat next to Zabini."  
  
Ginny's mouth fell open at this. If she had been the real Ginny he'd have taken ten points from Gryffindor and she suspected he might have even held her back after class to clean spilled ingredients up.  
  
"Excuse me, Professor." Ginny caught up to him. "Do you think that's fair?"  
  
Ginny hadn't meant to make a spectacle, but the whole class was looking at her as if she had changed into a huge ugly worm.  
  
"What did you say?" Even Snape looked bewildered.  
  
"Well, I mean to say, sir, that it's not fair to favor me because I'm Slytherin. It just breeds contempt." Ginny kept her eyes on the floor not wanting to see what would happen next.  
  
"Fair, Malfoy?" Snape said this as if contemplating the word. "Life isn't fair, not take your seat."  
  
"Professor Snape, I really think-"  
  
"Virginia Malfoy, take your seat, now!" Snape's face looked livid.  
  
Ginny sat down next to another Slytherin. She noticed that the whole class was looking at her, their mouths open in surprise.  
  
"I don't know why you do it, Malfoy. You really are evil." The person beside her whispered once everyone began their potions.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked cutting up some ingedrients.  
  
"Don't play stupid. At least the Gryffindors think its just favoritism that makes Snape turn a blind eye. But every Slytherin knows your Father threatens Snape to keep an eye on you. And that includes not taking points off of you."  
  
Ginny dropped her knife at this unexpected news. As she stooped to pick it up she overheard a conversation that was apparently about her.  
  
"Oooh, I swear I'd love to get my hands on that Malfoy. I don't care if she's a girl!."  
  
"Shh, Snape'll hear you."  
  
"Good, let him hear…"  
  
Ginny looked up and saw Ron and Harry staring evilly at her. She felt hurt and betrayed and had to keep reminding herself that she wasn't herself. The rest of potions she kept her eyes down and her mouth closed. She didn't want to cause any more trouble than she already had.  
  
As class let out Ginny quickly packed her things and headed out the door. Ginny decided to keep her eyes on the ground as she walked as well, but that's where she made her mistake. She wasn't looking where she was walking and she bumped into someone. The someone just had to be Hermione.  
  
Ginny just stared at Hermione as she bent to pick her things up.  
  
"What, no rude remark?" Ron came up behind Hermione while Harry helped pick the things up.  
  
"I—I don't—"  
  
"Oh, come off it. I know you're just dying to call Hermione a mud-blood. And go on and say that I'm poor and can't afford to have insults thrown at me. While you're at it why don't you just call Harry scar-head and then we can all be on our merry way." Ron's face was turning red with anger and his fists were clenched.  
  
Ginny's eyes began to water as she clutched her book bag close to her.  
  
"Ron, I think that's enough." Hermione said after finally getting her things in order.  
  
"Why? You know she's just dying to say things like that." Ron obviously couldn't see the small tear that trailed down Ginny's cheek.  
  
Without realize what she was doing Ginny was running down the hall, her red hair flying out behind her.  
  
"Ron, she was crying." Ginny heard Harry say.  
  
"So."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Madame Pince was looking around the library with her eagle eyes, trying to find the source of the stifled sobs. She didn't know whether to leave the front of the library to see who it was. Someone might make off with a library book without her knowing. Quite suddenly the sobs stopped, and so did Madame Pince's search.  
  
"Thank the stars you stopped crying." Draco said annoyingly to Ginny.  
  
Draco had been waiting for Ginny in the library and she had come in, puffy cheeked and red eyed. After retelling her story of what had happened Draco desperately wanted to laugh, but knew her sobs would just get louder. She had ended her story, clasping Draco in her arms, a puddle forming on his shoulder where her tears hit.  
  
"Now will you please get off me?" Draco removed Ginny from himself and watched her wipe her eyes with a tissue.  
  
"I'm sorry." Ginny said, regaining herself. "I just needed someone to cry on."  
  
"Well, mission accomplished." Draco performed a small drying spell which quickly dried up his wet shoulder. "So, I thought we'd first search the library in the Parallel Universe. Now since parallel universes are completely theoretical, we'll have to keep our minds open to what we read."  
  
Ginny nodded her head and smiled. They went to the section and pulled out a few books apiece. Looking through the books was dull work. Most of them were written in Old English and were hard to decipher. But as far as they could tell not one of them mentioned how to get out of a parallel universe, rather how to get into one.  
  
Finally, as the sky began to darken, they called it quits for the night. Ginny begged Draco to show her the way to the Slytherin Tower. She had forgotten and would surely get lost in the dark.  
  
They walked down the darkened corridors passing no one. Neither of them spoke, not knowing quite what to say.  
  
Finally Ginny spoke up. "I, er, didn't know you had your own room. I have to share."  
  
"Yeah, Father pays a considerable amount for that. I can't believe no one in Gryffindor has their own room."  
  
Ginny was about to say that was because no one in Gryffindor had that kind of money, but refrained. It made her remember what her brother had said.  
  
"I hope you're not really mean to everyone." Ginny started. "Because everyone you know likes you, um, me…well you know. Ron would do anything for you. One time he found me crying in the common room because I lost some money in Hogsmeade and it was supposed to go to Christmas presents. Well, without saying another word Ron gave me everything he had. He's a really good brother."  
  
Draco said nothing.  
  
"And Harry, well, Harry saved my life. Hermione is always patient with me when I ask for help with school work. Everyone in your tower would sacrifice just about anything for you."  
  
They had reached the entrance of the Slytherin tower. Ginny looked up at Draco and could see that his face held neither smirk, nor any other mean expression. It looked as if he were really thinking things over. The moonlight coming from a high window showered down on him, bathing him in a surreal glow. Without knowing what she was doing Ginny raised her hand to Draco's silvery hair, letting her fingers run through his soft tresses.  
  
"I'm sorry." Ginny quickly lowered her hand to her side, said the password, and entered the common room.  
  
  
  
(A/N: Finally! Woo! Another chappy!!! Ok, I'm starting a new website, who knows if it'll take off. www.geocities.com/godricsh check it out, it's still part way under construction.   
Ok, I'm working on more than one fic right now, but I'm not gonna post the other one till i have at least three chappies. That's all!! love ya!!) 


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
  
It was very late and the fire in the Gryffindor common room was beginning to burn out. The room was empty except for Draco who sat staring at the dying flames. He had a lot to think through. It felt different being in Ginny's place. Almost like someone had unlocked the door to a dark dank prison he had been in and now he knew what freedom really was. There was something oddly familiar about his thoughts, almost like he had pondered them before but sleep overcame him.  
  
The next day found Draco laying on the sofa in front of the empty fire place. The sound of students going to the Great Hall woke him. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and yawned. Running a hand through his hair he stood up and prepared to go to his dorm to change when he was stopped in the doorway.  
  
"Drake, where were you?" Ron asked, Harry behind him.  
  
"What do you care?" A stab of guilt punctured his conscience. Hadn't Ginny said something about Ron being a good brother?  
  
"I wish you'd hurry and get over this phase you're in." Ron passed Draco and Harry gave him a sympathetic smile before leaving as well.  
  
After getting dressed Draco followed the remaining Gryffindors to the Great Hall and sat down next to a couple of fourth years and began to eat. While eating he realized that if he didn't show up for his classes he'd get detentions which would take him away from figuring out how to get out of this universe. So, looking at his schedule, he resigned himself to acting the part if Ginny Weasley.  
  
Though is attitude about classes changed, the rest of himself hadn't. He acted above everyone else in class, refused to participate, but when pressed with questions he'd answer correctly, yawn, then look away from the Professor. The rest of the students in his classes looked at him in amazement. The boy they thought they knew had changed considerably, and most thought it was for the worse.  
  
Potions was the only class in which Draco was on his guard. He thought it would be good fun to show Snape who was boss without being caught.  
  
"Today we will be making Befuddling Potions." Snape announced once everyone took their seats.  
  
Snape began to write the ingredients on the board while explaining the many uses and the origin of the potion. Draco, however, was not listening as he began his potion. His partner, however, looked horrified at the defiance being shown.  
  
"Mr. Weasley." Snape said, turning around. Draco looked up and smiled. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm making the potion, Professor." Draco said in such a tone every student in the class held their breath in anticipation.  
  
"I have not given you permission. Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape was about to walk away but Draco wasn't going to lie down and take this.  
  
"Professor, I demand that you give back those points." Draco watched Snape turn slowly around.  
  
"What was that?" If Snape had looked at anyone else the way he was looking at Draco they would have made a run for it, but Draco was used to much worse treatment, so he continued.  
  
"I asked you to give back those points, seeing as I have done nothing wrong." Draco crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
Snape's lip curled. "Twenty points from Gryffindor."  
  
"Professor, you will give back those points." Draco's voice was as cold as ice.  
  
It seemed that the two of them were trying to stare each other down. The only sound was that of the frothing salmon colored potion. Snape blinked.  
  
"And what ideas are floating around in that small brain of yours to make you think I'd give you back those points?"  
  
"I've made the potion, Professor, and have done everything you have asked me to do." Draco watched as Snape looked closely at the boiling liquid.  
  
"I doubt you've made it flawlessly, but we shall see." Snape walked to his desk and pulled something out of the drawer. He returned with a small vial of something purple. "If you have made the Befuddling potion to perfection it will remain the same color if I drop this liquid into it. But if you haven't, as I suspect, it will change a nasty green and I will take fifty points from Gryffindor and give you a detention."  
  
Many people gasped, others craned their necks to get a better view. Snape uncorked the small bottle, tilted it over the potion, and the soft plunking noise of one liquid hitting another echoed around the room. With bated breath the class watched, expecting the potion to turn green, but it hadn't. Minutes went by with no change.  
  
Snape looked ready to kill. "Dismissed." He hissed. "Everyone, out!" He yelled the last part, then returned to his desk.  
  
The entire class left the dungeons, everyone cheering Draco. Their cheers and yells continued all the way up to the first floor and into the many corridors. It got so loud that people began peering out of classrooms to see what was going on. Students clasped Draco on the shoulders, congratulating him. A few girls trailed behind him, batting their eyes when chanced to look in their direction. It was McGonogall who finally came out of her class to tell them to be quiet and return to their tower.  
  
At lunch the rumor of Draco's defeat swept through all the houses. Everyone was pleased to see Snape's sour face looking down on them, all except the Slytherins.  
  
Ginny looked across the Great Hall at Draco, seeing everyone she knew pat him on the back. She couldn't take it any more. She quickly got up from her table and darted out of the room.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
There was nowhere for her to go. She would have usually gone to her friends, but they were now fawning over Draco. Her brother, Harry and Hermione would just shun her. She was every teacher's bane. Ginny ended up in her dorm, alone on her bed.  
  
She hated being the person she was. She couldn't stand to have no one to turn to, to see the look of malice on everyone's face she passed. To know that everyone despised her for something she had never done.  
  
"I hate this life!" She yelled. "I wish I was myself again."  
  
Ginny had a sudden case of déjà vu, but before she could figure out where she had heard those words before she heard a soft tapping on her window.  
  
Ginny wiped her eyes and looked at the closed window. There was a silhouette of someone outside. She ran to the window and opened it to find Draco on his broom. He had a sack over his shoulder and the wind was sweeping through his hair.  
  
"What are you doing?" Ginny asked, bewildered.  
  
"Well, I saw you leave lunch early, so I decided to bring lunch to you." Draco smiled.  
  
Ginny moved aside to let Draco in and he landed inside. He propped his broom against the wall and laid the food out over a table. Ginny couldn't believe it, but all her favorite food was on the table.  
  
"How did you—"  
  
"It's in your diary," Draco began. "It seems you write down every little detail of your day in there."  
  
Ginny's face turned red at knowing Draco could read her most deepest secrets, but remembered she had flipped through his little notebooks.  
  
"Come on, dig in." Draco said.  
  
Ginny could tell instantly that something was different with him. It seemed that being a Weasley was agreeing with him, and Ginny didn't like it.  
  
"Just get out!" She yelled, then ran over to her bed to continue her sobbing from before.  
  
"Come on, Ginny." Draco walked cautiously to the bedside. "Tell me what's wrong."  
  
Ginny peered at him through a crack in her arms. She slowly lifted her head, her hair matted to her tear stained face. "I don't want to be you any more."  
  
Draco's heart wrenched for two reasons. The first was knowing that his life was so bad. He had to stand away from it to get a good look, and what he saw displeased himself. The second was seeing Ginny cry. For the first time ever he didn't want to see a Weasley cry.  
  
"Look, Ginny, we'll get out of this. We'll find a way." Draco sat down and put his arm around her.  
  
"I don't think we will. I have this sick feeling in my gut that I'll be you forever." Ginny paused, then her eyes brightened. "Hey, we should tell Hermione. She's the smartest witch I know. She'll find a way."  
  
Draco's face changed. "I don't think we should tell any one else…especially not Hermione. Besides, who'd believe us?"  
  
"No, I really think we should. She could help and—"  
  
"No!" Draco yelled, standing. "Now come on, you have to hurry and eat this. We have classes soon."  
  
Draco walked over to the food and stared at it. Ginny watched him begin to eat a little, but her appetite was lost. She knew what she had to do…even if it meant going behind Draco's back. 


	9. Chapter Nine

(A/N: I know you guys must think I dropped off the face of the planet, but I'm still here. I just felt really uninspired. I think it's 'cause I'm trying to win over this guys heart and he just thinks we're friends.   
::sigh:: I'll try and get this story finished.)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
Ginny swept down the corridors the next week with a little more hope than she had before. She had a small plan that just might turn the tide on her troubles. She hardly noticed the soft whispers followed by silence as she passed students. During class she forgot that she sat by herself and that every teacher looked at her a little warily.  
  
Draco had noticed, but didn't think anything of it. He thought that his little pep talk had worked, so he left it at that.  
  
Draco had begun to turn around. His attitude was a little less sour and Ron and Harry thought he had finally come out of his phase. He liked being the center of attention for reasons other than annoyance. People continued to congratulate him on his victory over Snape and were waiting to see what the littlest Weasley would do next.  
  
But the real test for Draco came on a Saturday afternoon while he was in the common room, studying.  
  
It was a Hogwarts weekend and nearly everyone was away from the castle. Even those not old enough seemed to vacate the cold corridors and enjoy the last days of Autumn, before the snows came. A small fire was crackling in the grate and Draco had his History of Magic book open on the table, along with a long roll of parchment, a few quills and some ink. This essay was killing him and he wished he hadn't spent the whole of last night playing exploding snap with some fellow students, instead of doing his work.  
  
The sound of footsteps came down the stairs. Draco didn't think anything of it until the footsteps stopped just feet away. He looked up and saw a Gryffindor girl standing beside him, looking down at his work.  
  
Draco had thought all along that the Gryffindors had the prettiest girls in the school. They were so innocent and naïve, while the Slytherins were either ugly or all too willing. This particular girl had long golden hair with bright blue eyes. She was petite and a little on the slim side. He noticed she wasn't wearing her uniform, but some tight fitting jeans and an equally tight fitting long sleeved shirt.  
  
"It's cold, isn't it?" She said while sitting next to him.  
  
"Sure is." Draco said.  
  
He continued with his work trying to find the dates and names of places where Goblin Rebellions had taken place near or around London in the 1600's. It wasn't until he began to write that he felt the girl stare at him. He looked up at her and realized why she was here. He smiled.  
  
"It's Hillary, isn't it?" He asked, putting his quill down.  
  
"Yes." Hillary smiled brightly.  
  
"I'm Draco." He smiled also. "Professor Binns always gives us killer essays." Draco stretched his arms then leaned back and slightly closer to Hillary.  
  
"Y—yeah, he does." Draco could see her shaking.  
  
"Are you cold?" He asked. He got his school robes from the seat next to him and placed it over Hillary's shoulders. "There, that should feel better."  
  
"It does." Hillary whispered.  
  
"You know what? I know this spell that can heat a room…but the common room is too big. Let's go up to my dorm."  
  
Hillary's eyes shot wide open and it looked as if her heart had stopped. Draco ignored it and collected his things from the table.  
  
"I just hope Collin won't bug us. He's studying up there too." Draco saw Hillary's face return to normal at the thought of not being completely alone with a boy.  
  
"But—girls aren't supp—"  
  
"Don't worry, it'll just be until we get warmed up a bit."  
  
Draco led Hillary to the dorm he shared with the other sixth year boys. He walked in and deposited his things on his desk and watched Hillary walk meekly in.  
  
"Where's Collin?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, he must have left." He smiled. "Ok, about this spell." Draco held out his wand and performed the warming spell, which worked instantly.  
  
"That's nice." Hillary took off Draco's cloak and placed it on a nearby chair.  
  
Draco sat down on his bed and motioned for Hillary to follow. She hesitated, but walked over and sat on the very edge. They began to talk about nothing at all. Draco flattered her with compliments and asked about her likes and dislikes until he knew she was completely at ease with him.  
  
"It's hard, you know, being the youngest." Draco said after talking about Hillary's family. "I feel like I have so much to live up to and it's hard."  
  
"Oh, Draco, don't feel that way." Hillary scooted closer and put her arm on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll do great things."  
  
"Thanks, Hillary. I've never talked to anyone about that before." Well, Draco thought, that wasn't a lie.  
  
Draco looked up into Hillary's eyes. He placed his hand on her cheek and leaned in closer. He gently kissed her lips, letting them linger a moment before letting his other hand run through her hair. At first Hillary just sat there, letting Draco kiss her, but then her emotions kicked in. She brought her own hands to his shoulders, bringing him closer to herself. It wasn't until Draco gently leaned her down on the bed that he heard the tapping at the window, and then it opening.  
  
"Draco, I think I found some—" Ginny's words were cut off as she saw the sight in front of her.  
  
Draco sat up casually as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened but Hillary quickly stood up and faced Ginny. She straightened her hair and then rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand.  
  
"Hillary?" Ginny said in confusion. "But—" She looked over at Draco who smiled.  
  
Ginny's face began to turn red from anger and embarrassment. She turned around and grabbed her broom and was heading out the window. She tripped on an upturned rug and fell flat on her face. Hillary walked over to help her up but Ginny shoved her aside. She took one last glare at Draco then faced Hillary.  
  
"Hillary, Draco's a liar and a user. You promised your Mother you'd wait until you were married. You—" Ginny couldn't go on so she took her exit through the window.  
  
Hillary's eyes were wide in amazement. She just stared out the window, not moving. Draco came up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
"Where were we?" Draco whispered into her ear.  
  
"No!" Hillary pulled away from him then looked around the room, not knowing where she was any more.  
  
"Don't listen to her, she's been after me for weeks."  
  
"She was right…but how did she know?" Hillary looked towards the window again. "I never told anyone I promised my mum that-- How did she know? I have to go." Hillary quickly walked out of the room.  
  
Draco's eyes narrowed in anger. He had words he needed to exchange with a certain red-head.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Ginny couldn't take it any more. She needed someone to talk to…someone besides Draco. Someone she knew would understand and be able to help. The little glimmer of hope she had when she found that book and been put out. Draco was having a little too much fun being her.  
  
She went directly to the library knowing full well that the person she was seeking would be there sometime during the day. She didn't have long to wait, Hermione entered just minutes after she had.  
  
Hermione walked in with an armful of books. She placed them on Madam Pince's desk then headed towards a nearby shelf of books. Ginny watched as she grabbed a couple of books then went to a desk to read them. Ginny stood up and walked over towards Hermione and sat down.  
  
"Hermione, I need to talk to." Ginny whispered.  
  
Hermione looked up, startled at seeing Ginny.  
  
"We don't have anything to talk about, Virginia." Hermione continued to read her book.  
  
"Hermione, please, just hear me out!" Ginny grabbed the book from under Hermione's nose and slammed it shut.  
  
Hermione flung her hands up to her face as if to shield herself from an attack.  
  
"Hermione…I just need to talk."  
  
Hermione's hands came slowly down. "We've never talked before, why start now?"  
  
"Please." The pleading in Ginny's eyes had gotten Hermione's attention.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Look, I'm stuck in this parallel universe and I don't know how to get out. I'm really Ron's younger sister and Draco is a Malfoy and I'm getting frustrated and I don't know what to do." Ginny said all this in one quick breath, then waited for a reaction.  
  
Hermione took all this in, then shook her head. "You expect me to believe that?"  
  
A small tear came to Ginny's eye and she hung her head in defeat. "I knew you wouldn't believe me…but at least I tried."  
  
They sat in silence for a while then an idea struck Ginny. "Wait, what if I can prove it!"  
  
Hermione looked incredulous. "How?"  
  
"Um, I don't know…ask me anything."  
  
"I don't know what to ask you."  
  
"Um…let me think…your parents! They're dentists!" Ginny looked triumphant.  
  
"Anyone could know that."  
  
"What? How can anyone know that?"  
  
Right then the library doors swung open and Ron and Harry came in. At seeing Ginny and Hermione in an argument they hurried over.  
  
"Look, Malfoy, just leave her alone!" Ron said.  
  
"Yeah, haven't you caused enough trouble?" Harry added.  
  
"Just bugger off Ron…you're always getting in other people's conversation!" Ginny said.  
  
Ron's mouth dropped as if to say something, but no words came out.  
  
Ginny had another stroke of genius. "Wait, I need you!" She stood up and faced Ron. "Ok, Hermione, I'll prove it." She looked down at Hermione he began to smile a little. "Ron, I know what you keep in your sock drawer."  
  
Ron's eyes opened wide. "What do you mean? I keep socks there."  
  
"That's not all, though." Ginny smiled and began to giggle.  
  
"Look, this meeting is over, let's go!" Ron said.  
  
"Wait, I want to hear what you keep in your sock drawer." Hermione said.  
  
"Ron, you keep a picture of Hermione in your drawer with a large heart drawn around her face and one of her hair ribbons."  
  
Ron's face turned completely red as Hermione and Harry began to snigger.  
  
"How did you know—I mean, no I don't!" He looked from Hermione to Harry, then to Ginny but Ginny was already turning on Harry.  
  
"And Harry, last year when Cho turned you down, you went to the astronomy tower and cried all night long."  
  
Now it was Harry's turn to turn red, but only Hermione was left laughing.  
  
"Well, do you believe me?" Ginny asked, facing Hermione again.  
  
After Hermione finished laughing, she looked up at Ginny. "It's so far fetched…the theory of a parallel universe is just that…a theory."  
  
"What are you guys talking about?" Ron asked.  
  
"Virginia says she's from another universe and she's really you're little sister and that Drake's a Malfoy."  
  
"What?" Both Harry and Ron said at the same time.  
  
"But I just proved it, didn't I?" Ginny looked hopeful.  
  
"Well, I don't see how else you could know all that stuff." Hermione conceded. "And Drake has been acting weird…almost not himself…"  
  
"She's lieing." Ron accused.  
  
"No, I'm not!" Ginny was furious. "Do you want me to tell them what happened last summer in Wales?"  
  
"Shut up about that!" Ron yelled, attracting the attention of Madam Pince.  
  
"I wanna know." Hermione said.  
  
"Ok, I believe you!" Ron sat down as so did Harry and Ginny.  
  
"When did this happen?" Hermione asked, eager for a new project to work on.  
  
Ginny told her story and the three agreed that Draco's attitude change had begun the day Ginny said this had happened. Some very confusing bits had been put together by Ginny and things began to make sense.  
  
"So will you help me?" Ginny asked after they discussed the matter.  
  
"We should talk to Drake." Hermione said.  
  
"No!" Ginny said. "Draco didn't want me to come to you in the first place. I think—I think he doesn't want to go back. Please don't tell him until we find the solution."  
  
The others agreed and they began looking for a way to send Ginny back. 


	10. Chapter Ten

(A/N: Hey hey hey! Another chapter! I'm lovin' it! Thanks, guys, for your reviews! It means a lot to me!)  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
The winters came upon Hogwarts like a wholly white blanket. The snow drifts on the grounds glittered in the sun and looked like frosting decked the top of the castles many turrets and towers.  
  
Draco had tried the past few weeks to get Ginny alone to explain things to her but he just couldn't do it. He also felt Ron and Harry had acquired an annoying habit of hanging around whenever he had free time. As soon as he'd get out of class to find Ginny there Harry and Ron were to stop him and beg a game of chess. It was starting to irritate him to no end.  
  
He also gave up flying to her window. The snow storms were unpredictable and he did not want to get caught in a high wind and be carried off to the end of the earth.  
  
The thing that bothered him, though, was that Ginny wasn't trying to contact him. If she wanted to be out of this world so much how come she wasn't researching it with him?  
  
All these combined caused Draco to lost a foot hold on his schoolwork and he began to forget answers to questions and key ingredients in potions. It also didn't help him in charms when he accidentally swished instead of flicked and caused his flamingo he was supposed to turn into an umbrella turn into a pail and shovel.  
  
Christmas vacation was soon upon them and Draco knew his Father would call for Ginny to be home. He wanted to prep her as to what was expected around the holidays and possibly urge her to look in the Malfoy library. After dinner one night he ditched the trio and headed towards the dungeons. He hid in the shadows and waited for Ginny. He saw a few Slytheirns walk by and soon enough the red-head he was waiting for came into view.  
  
Ginny was walking briskly down the cold corridor, her arms hugged around her waist. Draco noticed she had a slight spring in her step. As she was passing his shadowed hiding spot he grabbed her and before she could scream out in protest he pressed his hand against her mouth. He pulled her through an empty classroom and closed the door.  
  
"Let me go!" Ginny screamed, elbowing Draco in the side.  
  
Draco cursed loudly and it was then Ginny knew who her abductor was.  
  
"Draco?"  
  
"Who'd you expect, a vampire?" Draco clutched at the sore spot in his side.  
  
"I'm sorry but… What are you doing?" Ginny was now very upset that Draco had scared her just to drag her into an empty class room.  
  
"I just wanted to talk to you. You've been dodging me for the past month." Draco know straightened up and looked directly at Ginny.  
  
At the mention of her deliberate attempt at not coming in contact with Draco she blushed. Draco saw the blush and wondered what strange ideas were running around in her head.  
  
  
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Ginny asked, by-stepping the last part of his comment.  
  
"It's almost Christmas and you'll be going to Malfoy Manor. I just thought you'd like to know what's expected of you." Draco looked down at his nails. "There are certain traditions that go on and if you don't know what they are you'll disgrace the family and probably be hurt within an inch of your life."  
  
Ginny's eyes widened. "What traditions?"  
  
"Have you ever been on a scavenger hunt?" Ginny nodded. "Well, it's sort of like that. On Christmas Eve at nine o'clock every Malfoy is given a clue that will lead them to the Christmas Feast. You have to follow twelve clues and collect twelve items and only then can you join the Feast."  
  
Ginny gave a sigh of relief. She was good at problem solving and she needn't worry herself about some silly scavenger hunt. But she couldn't help be discomforted by the glare in Draco's eyes.  
  
"I know what you're thinking." Draco said.  
  
Ginny actually felt as if Draco's thoughts were penetrating hers. It felt a little too intimate for her.  
  
"This isn't some silly childish scavenger hunt. From nine at night to nine the next morning you have to apparate from one part of the country to another, sometimes to other countries. There are dangerous obstacles in the way and only a true Malfoy could follow them."  
  
"I can't do that!" Ginny said. "I'll never be able to do that!"  
  
"Well, just wanted to warn you. Good night." Draco smiled and was prepared to leave when Ginny blocked the doorway.  
  
"You just can't do that!"  
  
"Do what?" Draco asked innocently.  
  
"Let me go through that alone! I need help!"  
  
"Oh really? The great Virginia Weasley—I mean Malfoy—needs my help? Well, it sure didn't seem like you did the past month. So why should I bother now?"  
  
Ginny cast her gaze to the floor. She knew she had been dishonest, but if Draco knew Hermione was helping he'd have a fit. She bit her bottom lip in concentration. What should she do? Finally she looked up into Draco's eyes with pleading in her own.  
  
"Please? I need your help."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Hermione, I'm going to be going to Malfoy Manor for Christmas. Will you still look for the answer for me?"  
  
Hermione nodded her head, not bothering to look up from the thick volume in front of her.  
  
"Wow, Virginia, there are some interesting theories about parallel universes. I'm glad I'm able to research all this."  
  
Ginny sighed then walked out of the library. Her luggage had already been put on the Hogwarts Express and she was about to join the other students on the train. The plan that her and Draco had come up with a few nights ago seemed radical and unable to pull off. But it was her only chance.  
  
There weren't many students going home for the holidays. There was going to be some big extravaganza in Hogsmeade this year and many students were looking forward to it. Ginny wished she would have been able to join the others in the festivities. She had to catch herself before she cried.  
  
At the station a butler she recognized from Malfoy Manor was standing near by, her luggage on a trolly by his side. She walked up to him and nodded her head. He began to walk towards a parked car. The luggage was placed in the trunk and Ginny was seated in the back. The drive to the Manor was short and soon she was in her room. As soon as she thought it was safe she pulled out a piece of parchment that had a checklist written on it.  
  
She went through the list, going through it in her mind as to what she needed to do first and second and third and so on… First she had to go through the things in her closet and find an invisibility cloak. In only two days Christmas Eve would be here and she needed Draco to help her.  
  
The plan was to have Ginny arrive at the Owl Post in Hogsmeade at eight o'clock where Draco would be waiting. He'd don the Invisibility Cloak and follow her the rest of the night. Ginny didn't know how to Apparate so Draco would hold onto her as he did to wherever they needed to go. It was promising to be a very memorable night.  
  
The next couple of days Ginny was a complete wreck! The anticipation was killing her and she had no idea what was going to happen to her if she'd be caught. She resorted to biting her nails when no one was looking. She tried to stay out of everyone's way, which wasn't so hard. Meals were either spent alone or in silence.  
  
The night of Christmas Eve was upon Malfoy Manor, which was decorated in holly and ivy. A huge Christmas tree was in the front hall and a strange violin solo was heard playing in the halls. Ginny watched the clock all day, waiting for eight to arrive. She had the floo powder in a small bag in her pocket, and she was seated in a small sitting room near the fireplace. The house was strangely silent and all she heard was the tick-tick-tick of the cloak.  
  
When it struck eight Ginny jumped out of her seat and rushed to the fireplace. She threw the floor powder down and yelled "Hogsmeade Owl Post" and was sent flying through the Floo Network until she came to her destination. As she was stepping out of the fireplace she bumped her head and began rubbing it.  
  
Looking around she noticed she was all alone. The soft hooting owls echoed over the walls. Ginny couldn't see anyone in the dark and hoped Draco hadn't been caught. She was beginning to worry when someone touched her arm.  
  
"It's me." Draco whispered.  
  
"I thought you weren't going to come." Ginny said, feeling her heart beat return to normal.  
  
"Where's the cloak?" He held his hands out as Ginny pulled it out from under her shirt and handed it over. "Ok," He said after putting it on. "Take my hand."  
  
Ginny did as she was instructed and felt her self being pulled towards him and through space. She landed in the same sitting room she had been just a few minutes before.  
  
"Ok," she heard a soft whispered right in her ear. She wondered how close he was to her. "I'll be right here the whole time, don't worry. As soon as you get your clue wait until the others disapparate before talking to me. That's when we'll begin."  
  
Ginny nodded her head then walked towards the front sitting room. Narcissa was sitting in a chair reading a novel. Lucius was nowhere to be seen. Ginny sat in a chair and wondered where in the room Draco was. She tried to picture him sitting next to her, but she felt no weight on the other cushion. After an agonizing forty minutes Lucius walked into the room and Narcissa stood. Ginny stood also and waited for instruction but none came.  
  
The cloak struck nine and from the face three slips of paper drizzled out. Lucius grabbed them then handed one to Narcissa and one to Ginny. Ginny looked down at hers and noticed it had her name written on the top. She looked up at Lucius and Narcissa. Lucius was smiling then he quickly disapparated. Narcissa crinkled her eyebrows, but dispparated the same.  
  
"Alright, now what?" Ginny whispered.  
  
There were a few seconds of silence before Draco was up against her again and he whispered, "Now the games begin." 


	11. Chapter Eleven

(a/n: I am soooooooooooooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated in a long while. I've been working on other stories and I sort of left this one alone for a while, I needed inspiration for the "Christmas Challenge/Quest". If any of you have any ideas of what some of the challenge questions should be, I'll take all of them into consideration, but I already know what I want the last one to be. THanks again for being patient! 

~Adela H)

**Chapter Eleven**

The little paper indeed had her name written across the top in calligraphy. The rest of the paper, however, Ginny was unable to understand. Draco took the paper and it suddenly vanished—Draco refused to uncloak at any time. Ginny waited for a few minutes before she grew very impatient. 

"Well, what does it say?" She asked, tapping her foot on the ground. 

Draco took a few more minutes, then a soft laugh came from his direction. 

"What? What is it?" Ginny demanded. 

"It says 'Begin in the beginning, where blood and water are one. The next clue is waiting, but the challenge is far from done.' It's easy!" 

Ginny crinkled her eyebrows. "Sure, if you're a Malfoy!" She stepped closer to where she suspected Draco was standing. "Let me see the clue…it didn't say that when I read it. It was written in some other language." 

"It's an ancient written alphabet that is known only to three families in England. Mine and—well, two others." 

"Oh, like I'm going to blab around town that I know the families that can read some ancient language that no one cares about any more." Ginny said, rolling her eyes. 

Ginny could tell by the type of silence coming from Draco he was not pleased at her display of indifference. 

"So…where do we 'begin?'" 

"In the womb." Draco responded. 

"The womb?" Ginny looked disgusted. "How are we supposed to get…in the womb?" 

"Well, that's not what the clue implies. When it says 'begin' it's talking about an actual place, not a thing, like a womb." 

Ginny thought about this a while. When she came out of her mother's womb, she was born in her parents bedroom. Where was Draco born? 

"It's funny, Ginny. I actually saw the wheels turning in your head and then the light bulb go off." Draco laughed. 

Ginny let out an annoyed growl while trying to catch Draco with her closed fists. He evaded her and soon she tired. "Just tell me where you were born…" 

"I was born in a Witch's Hospital in the south of France. It's abandoned now because Muggles were beginning to build closer and closer and they found it too difficult to operate so close with them." Draco paused. "It seems _ages_ since I've been in France when—" 

"—It was only the beginning of summer." Ginny finished. "I read your little diaries…just to get a grip on who I'm thought to be…sorry." 

"Heh, it's ok. I read yours too." 

"What?!" Ginny screamed. She had too many secrets, too many dear memories written in those diaries to let Draco, an enemy, read them. She felt stripped in front of him, and it unnerved her. 

"Hey, we're even, ok? Now take my hand, I'm gonna get us to the hospital." 

Before Ginny could protest, she felt Draco's warm hand against hers and she felt a force pulling at her. She had never apparated before, nor had anyone forced her to apparate with them—it was against wizarding law. She felt light and fuzzy in her head as the force pulled and pulled and then finally it stopped, and she was standing on solid ground once again. 

Catching her breath, Ginny looked around the dark quiet streets of a small town. The shops and houses looked rather new but one building stuck out amongst them all. A very tall and ancient looking stone building. It looked almost like a Muggle church, with tall spires and stained glass windows. She heard a ringing of the bells and knew it to be the half hour mark. It was already 12:30 and she only had eight and a half more hours to find all the clues. 

"Hurry up!" A sharp whisper came from somewhere ahead of her, towards the church building. 

"Well, I can't see you so have some patience." Ginny whispered back. 

She began walking towards the sound of footsteps upon the paved road. Just as Ginny though, they were headed towards the old building. There was a sign on the front door saying that it was closed, and that the library would be open at seven the next morning, in French. 

"It's a library." Ginny stated. 

"Now it is…but it used to be the hospital. Before that it used to be a Catholic church and before that it used to be a Celtic sacrificial altar. Its history goes even further. Now come on." 

Draco opened the door using his wand and entered the building. Ginny had misgivings about going inside. She was afraid they'd get caught and thrown in a Muggle jail. How would she explain that to her parents? 

"Mum isn't mum and Dad isn't dad." She whispered to herself, and followed Draco in. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

(a/n: I can't tell you how happy I am I got another chappy out so quickly!!! Thanks guys for the reviews!!! 

~Adela H)

**Chapter Twelve**

The library was dark and smelled of mildew and old books. Ginny used her wands light to guide her through the desks and chairs and book shelves. It was a very spacious building, with a vaulted ceiling that tapered to a point and wide intimidating brick walls. She could tell by the small dot of light ahead of her that Draco was there. She walked up to him and stopped. 

"Now what?" She asked. 

"Do I have to hold your hand through this?" Draco hissed in a whisper. "Go find the clue!" 

Draco's dot of light moved away from herself towards a row of very tall bookshelves. She heard a few mumbled words, then books began to drift towards him and land neatly in a pile at his feet. While Draco was sorting through the books, hoping the clue would be in them, Ginny headed towards the front. 

She doubted very much that the clue would be in the books. It would be too easy, and from what she knew of the Malfoys, nothing was done the easy way. She walked over to what appeared to be a librarians desk. She began picking up items from off the esk and examining them, then putting them down with a sigh of defeat. She held her wand light above her head so she could get a better view of the building. 

Everything about this place screamed "Muggle" and she knew a Malfoy clue would not be found amongst these things. She turned around and around until finally she stopped, intrigued. Her wand light had reflected off one of the stained glass windows, and a ray of red light shined on her face. She walked closer towards the window and smiled. The window depicted the Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus, with two scenes on either side of them. One was of the cross at Golgotha, the other was the walking on water. Both scenes clung tightly to the images in the middle, blending in rather than stopping. 

"…'where blood and water are on.'" Ginny repeated the bit of the clue. 

Ginny touched her wand to the glass and a ray of sparks danced across her face as a single piece of paper emerged from the window. Ginny grabbed the paper and began screaming in excitement. 

"I found it, I found it!" She yelled over and over. 

Draco was quickly by her side, yelling curses and warning her the Muggles would hear. Once he finally got her to quiet down she showed him the piece of paper with her name on it, followed by the clue written in the ancient language. 

"Well, well…I guess Malfoy is rubbing off on you." Draco said. 

"Gosh, I hope not." Ginny countered. 

~*~*~

The night wore on and Ginny and Draco followed the clues across Europe. They went to Italy and up to Russia and even to Sweden and Iceland ("That's where some of the Malfoys originated." Draco explained.) and up and down and around and back, until they were in Ireland, searching for the last clue amongst the rubble of a torn down castle. 

"What was the clue again?" Ginny asked, shivering from the cold night air. 

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Draco's shout echoed off the tall stones. "You will find the clue if you would go, to the land of the Finns where gods did roam, amongst the carcass of a castle once tall, and no longer baths in the sea foam.'" 

Ginny repeated over and over in her head as she stepped over fallen pillars and boulders. She waned to find this one because then it would mean that she would win. Well, she was the only one playing the game, but so far, by her calculations, her and Draco had found an equal amount of clues, and this would be the ninth. Another reason she wanted to find the clue quickly was because they were running out of time. It was already half past eight and the clock was ticking. 

Ginny didn't understand the sea foam bit in the clue. The castle sat atop a broad hill, and the ocean was a few miles away. Unless the landscape had changed since the castle was built, there's no way the castle would even be splashed with a few drops from the ocean, let alone 'bathed in sea foam.' 

"Are you sure we're at the right place?" Ginny question for the fifth time that night. 

There was no reply. Either Draco had left, feeling he didn't care if Ginny got to the Christmas feast, or he didn't want to reply. Ginny kept searching, and searching until she felt like she was going to pass out! 

"It's here!" Draco's yell came from the other side of the ruin. 

Ginny felt a sort of disappointment at not being the one to find it, but it was finally over! She made her way towards Draco's voice and soon spotted his light shining a few yards away from the ruin. 

"Where is it then?" She asked, right beside his light. 

"There." Draco pointed his light towards the ground. 

There was a circle of stones, each about a foot high, it's diameter about three feet. 

"I don't get it." 

"The stones are from the sea bed, see their coloration? They were brought up here from the sea to build this. It was probably an altar or something equally sacred." After Draco explained he touched his wand towards the center and the ray of sparks emerged, as so did the last clue. Draco took it and read it in silence. 

"It reads, 'Your challenge is finished, and now you may rest, among your ancestors and the family crest.' This is the easiest" 

"Well…" 

"We have to go to the cemetery." 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

It didn't look like a cemetery. Well…like any cemetery Ginny had been to. She had no idea of what country she was in and didn't want to ask Draco for fear he'd yell at her to not ask stupid questions. She looked around and noticed that there was only one small rectangular building standing alone besides the few trees. The rising shine bathed the building in warm light. 

"It's there." Draco pointed towards the building. 

Ginny moved closer to the building, noticing the gray/white granite and the elegant architecture. There were two pillars in front and a wide door with a plaque in the center. It looked like a coat of arms. Ginny turned around and noticed Draco had not moved from his spot a few yards back. 

"Aren't you coming?" Ginny asked. 

"Now what would the Malfoys do if they saw a Weasley intrude upon their Christmas feast?" He smiled. "Have fun, I'm leaving." 

Without another word Draco disapparated, leaving Ginny by herself. She felt her heart race in her chest as she looked from the spot where Draco was back to the building. The last thing she wanted to do was enter a building where dead Malfoys were resting. What should she do? 

Ginny stood there, trying to work up the courage to just open the door and have it done with, when the door opened on it's on accord. Ginny peered into the opening, but it was too dark inside for her to see anything. She slowly stepped inside and heard a noise in the distance. She stepped further in, holding up her glowing wand. The room was empty except for a stair way leading down. There was no where for Ginny to go but down, so down she went. 

~*~*~ 

Draco returned to his dorm just in time to be awakened by his dorm mates. They exchanged presents and shouts of joy. Soon the floor of the room was littered in wrapping paper. Draco had opened his presents too, but discarded them and went down to breakfast. 

As he sat at the table, poking at his food, his mind kept wondering back to Ginny. There were new feelings growing in him and he hated it. His thoughts were filled with her lighted face as she found the clues. His ears echoed with her voice, no matter how much he tried to shut her out. So busy were his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the change in the way Ron, Harry and Hermione were treating him. 

All throughout breakfast the three of them glanced at Draco as if he were a bomb that was about to explode if they made any quick movements. They were still confused as to how Ron's younger brother is in actuality a Malfoy. They made only necessary conversation with him and were all glad when he abruptly left his seat at the table and headed out of the Great Hall. 

There was only one thing he could do…try to find a way to get back to his world. The world where he was always in control of his emotions, where no one had a hold on his heart, and his mind was filled with what he wanted to think about. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself that he wanted to go back, a little part of him wanted to stay. He wanted to see what his life would turn out to be if he continued living as a Weasley, everyone liking him and talking to him. Having friends and siblings now seemed better than being without them. 

His eyes were roaming up and down the books, but not a word penetrated his head. 

"That stupid Weasley!" He shouted to himself. "If it wasn't for her I'd be peacefully thinking of other things." 

A sharp look from the librarian caused Draco to cease his audible soliloquy. He headed out of the library and back up to his dorm, but the change scene had no effect on his thoughts. 

~*~*~ 

Ginny was safely back in Malfoy Manor…well, as safe as she could be. She was replaying in her head what had happened at the feast. It was bizarre, to say the least. There were at least fifty people seated around a long rectangular table, the room being lighted with torches only—there were no windows. The table was piled with food and she heard at least three different languages being spoken all at once. 

They all looked incredibly like each other. Their hair, if not blonde, were light shades of brown and red. All of their eyes had the same slant and their noses all ended in a point. Ginny was seated next to a tall man who came across as a distant relative from the north. She was expected to speak with him in a language she had never heard. She merely nodded her head and smiled and crammed her food with mouth so as not to talk. 

When Ginny had first arrived the table was nearly full, but she was relieved to find out she wasn't the last one to figure out the clues. They hadn't begun eating until a large grandfather clock at the far corner of the room struck nine. She felt a sudden change in the air, but didn't know what had happened until she overheard someone's conversation. 

"Looks like Alfred hasn't made it. I remember him begging us to not lock the doors at nine o'clock this time. He claimed he was only two minutes late." 

"Well, two minutes late is two too many." 

It was very odd to eat along side these people. Their noses remained pointed in the air as they brought their food elegantly to their mouths. They made polite conversation, nothing too personal, but for the most part ate in silence. At the end of the feast, which lasted an hour and a half, presents were handed to each member of the family. Ginny waited for the others to unwrap their gifts before she began to tear into hers. 

"A necklace?" Ginny stared at the gold chain that laid within the box. She looked around to see if anyone else had received the same thing, but all the gifts were different. Hanging for the chain was a heart shaped pendant, which opened to reveal her picture inside. Ginny donned the necklace and soon after was being escorted to a fireplace with her parents. They used floo powder to get home, and here she was, writing in the journals all that had happened. After finishing she placed the notebook in the drawer and as soon as her head hit the pillow she fell asleep. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

"I know how they can return to their world." Hermione whispered across the table to Ron and Harry. 

Both boys put their forks down and leaned in closer. Hermione looked down the table to where Draco was eating his breakfast. They had tried to be polite and speak with him but it seemed he had too many things on his mind at the moment. After satisfied that no one was listening, she began: 

"Well, in order for them to have come into this world, they must have done something in the other world. I think they unconsciously acted upon magic." 

"How can they do that?" Ron asked, scratching his head. 

"Well, there is magic all around us, in the air…in everything! Witches and wizards are just able to harness it and Muggles can't. They must have touched upon the same magic at the same exact time for both of them to have entered our world. And I think that if they could just reverse the effects in this one, they will return." 

Hermione sat back, finished with her news. She saw the utter confusion in the two boys' face and rolled her eyes. She couldn't explain anything to these two! 

"We have to talk to Virginia and ask what she had done twenty four hours previous to entering this world, and then ask Drake the same thing. They both will have one thing in common and that's our answer!" 

"But how are we going to ask Drake that without him suspecting something?" Harry asked. 

Hermione looked down, "I don't know." 

All three took a side glance at Draco. He was picking at his food, still deep in thought. He suddenly turned to face them and they all quickly looked at their plates or at the ceiling. 

"I wonder what's wrong with those three?" Draco thought. 

He had had enough of his breakfast and he stood to leave. He noticed that Ron, Harry and Hermione were watching him as he exited, but he didn't care. He went directly to his dorm room, which was thankfully empty, and sat on his bed. He rubbed his hands through his hair in frustration and let out a loud scream of anger. And that's when he noticed an envelope had dropped from his bed to the floor. Draco bent down to pick it up and opened it. 

"Draco, 

Everything went fine, thanks again for all your help. I've begged my…er…your parents to let me return to Hogwarts early, telling them I needed to do some research in the school library for an essay. I'll be coming this evening. I have something I need to talk to you about. Meet me by the lake at 9:00. 

Ginny." 

Draco involuntarily brought the parchment to his face, inhaling the perfume that Ginny always wore. Realizing what he was doing he crumpled the parchment in his fist and threw it across the room. 

"Get me out of here!" 

~*~*~ 

The winter night was cold and there were patches of snow on the ground from the last snowfall. The lake hadn't frozen over but it was metallic looking and reflected the few stars in the sky that dared to shone themselves. Draco was waiting in the same spot they had met the previous time, glancing at his watch, willing it to strike nine. He wrapped his cloak around him tighter, feeling his legs going numb by the minute. 

The sound of footsteps falling on the snow and muddied ground attracted his attention. He looked up and saw a shadowy figure coming closer and he knew it was Ginny. She walked quickly, stepping around the mud puddles and careful not to slip on the slushy ice. She finally reached him and they both stood in silence for what seemed ages. 

"Hello." Ginny said. 

Ginny was wearing a fur lined cloak and the hood was over her head. A few red locks of hair came cascading down her shoulders. Her cheeks were pink, giving her a fairy princess look. Draco felt underdressed and wished he'd borrowed someone else's cloak. 

Draco nodded his head in reply to Ginny's greeting. "There was something you needed to say?" 

"Yeah," Ginny stopped. 

"Well, were you going to tell me now or wait until I get frost bite?" Draco snapped. 

Ginny took a deep breath. She needed to collect her thoughts and while she was she noticed the flimsy cloak Draco had over him. He was shivering slightly, but looked as if he were trying to calm his shivers in front of her. His hair was moist and hung lazily across his head, getting into his eyes. He looked so different from the Draco she had known the year before. His hair was messy, his clothes were rags and he was shivering. She had never seen him shiver before. 

"You look cold." Ginny stated without thinking. 

"No duh!" 

"Come on," Ginny took Draco's hand in hers and she led him away from the lake towards the Quidditch pitch. 

Draco wanted to protest, but walking caused warmth to stream through his veins and Ginny's hand on his own warmed his fingers. Ginny stopped in front of the broom shed and opened the door and led him inside. With a quick flick of her wand she had lit a small fire and she sat Draco down in front of it. 

"Why don't we just go back to the castle?" Draco asked, holding his hands out towards the flames. 

"I didn't want anyone interrupting us." Ginny sat down next to him and took the hood of her cloak off. 

Draco couldn't help noticing the mass of red curls that hung limply on her back—it too was moist. He quickly took his eyes off of her and resumed his glare at the fire. 

"Here it goes," Ginny started. "I had told Hermione about what happened, hoping she could help us. I know you think I shouldn't have, it's just I want to get out of here so desperately I just had too." Ginny stopped, waiting for Draco to begin yelling. 

"You hate my life that much?" Draco said. 

Ginny was startled by what he said. She had expected something completely different and was even ready for a quick defense, but his words made her think. Was Draco's life really that bad? Well, yeah, but she felt there was something else. Being rich was nice, for a while. She didn't have any other siblings to deal with which was a definite plus. Why was she in such a hurry to get back? This was like the dream vacation she had always wanted! 

"Um," Ginny said, breaking the silence. 

"Well…" 

Draco was waiting impatiently. What was taking her so long? All she had to say was "Yes, Draco, I hate your life, it sucks and I never wanna go back to it again!" Sure, he'd be a little crushed, it was his life. It wasn't like Ginny's life was any better. All those stupid siblings, having to hang out with the famous trio, being known as the shy one. It was ridiculous…but was that the reason he didn't want to be here any more? 

"It's not that I hate your life. I'm not fit for it, you know? I can't be prim and proper twenty four hours a day. I can't look down at other people and I like having friends and a family." Ginny paused. "It's just…new things are happening to me and I'm afraid and I think that if I was back in my own life I'd forget all about them." Ginny said the last part in a whisper, looking down at her hands. 

"I feel the same way." Draco said, turning his gaze towards Ginny's. 

Ginny looked up and smiled. She loved the way the fire danced in Draco's eyes. At that time she actually loved everything about Draco. The way his hair matted his head, the way his eyes were slanted in the corners, the way his lips parted ever so slightly. Ginny could feel her face blush at thinking these thoughts. She turned away and was prepared to get up when she felt herself being pulled back down. 

"What—" Ginny began but as she turned to question Draco he moved in and gently kissed her lips. 

The fire burning before them was nothing compared to the fire burning within them. Once Draco had his first taste of Ginny he didn't want anything else. Her lips were so soft and seemed to fit perfectly into his own. Ginny wasn't complaining with how his lips felt either. Draco scooted closer to Ginny and wrapped her in his arms, never letting his lips leave her skin. 

Suddenly the fire died down low and they were engulfed in blackness. The only sound was the sudden gush of wind outside. 

"Draco," Ginny whispered as he began moving his lips down her neck to her shoulder. "I don't think we should be doing this. We shouldn't be here." 

"Stay…please." Draco whispered into her ear. 

"Draco…I promised my mum I wouldn't…you know…until I was ready. I'm not ready." 

Draco kissed Ginny gently on the forehead. "Ok." He could feel Ginny's body relax. "Can I just hold you then? Just tonight, here in the shed?" 

"Yes." 

Draco laid against a pile of sacks and Ginny laid next to him, wrapped in his arms, her head laying on his chest. The last thing she remembered before falling asleep was the rhythmic beating of his heart. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

A bird was chirping outside the broom shed, thanking nature for the wonderful sunshine that had filtered through. The crisp morning air, mingled with the bright shafts of sun had cast a heavenly glow on the school grounds. The lake was a little bluer, the patches of slush had disappeared. All in all it was a wonderful morning. 

Draco felt something hard under his head and brought his hand up. He felt something coarse and a little hairy. Was he sleeping on sacks? He opened his eyes and saw red hair and instantly he remembered. He smiled as he looked down at the sleeping form of Ginny. He couldn't see her face but guessed she looked angelic. He rested his head on his hand and wished he could spend the rest of the day like this. 

A few minutes later he felt Ginny stir and knew that they eventually had to get back to the castle to eat and crush any worries any one had over them. 

"Draco?" Ginny yawned as she sat up, stretching her arms above her head. 

"Hmm?" He smiled, attempting to stifle a yawn of his own. 

"Oh my gosh!" Ginny screamed. "We spent the night in the broom shed?" She brought her hand to her mouth and began to giggle. 

"I know, not very comfy, is it?" Draco patted the sacks he had laid on. 

"I don't know," Ginny said. "It was pretty comfortable from where I was." 

Draco raised an eyebrow and smiled. They soon got up and resolved to get back to the castle and get something to eat then find the trio. Draco had finally consented to going head long into the search for the answer to their problems. He accepted any help that would come his way. 

The corridors were peacefully quiet and Draco and Ginny walked arm in arm to the Great Hall. It was past breakfast and the room was empty, but seeing as it was the Christmas Holidays there was always food on hand for the hungry students. They ate quickly then headed to the Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady eyed them suspiciously, but when given the password she was obliged to open. 

"I never thought I'd see the day a Slytherin would enter my tower." They heard her say. 

Ginny looked forlornly at the floor, knowing the comment must have been directed towards her. In her world the Fat Lady and herself had exchanged a few nice conversations and Ginny often went to her for advice. It was so hard to accept cruelty from friends. 

"Don't worry, Ginny. We'll get things fixed." Draco brought his hand to her chin and lifted her head up. 

The Common Room was filled with the students that had stayed over the holidays. A few students were in the corner, playing games or reading and not many looked up and noticed the two. Off on another side of the room sat Harry, Ron and Hermione. They quickly made their way to the three of them. 

Hermione was the first to notice them and she stood up from the chair. "Hello." 

"You came back early?" Ron asked. 

Ginny nodded her head. 

"We've been going through all these books and we think we found out how to get you back to yourselves." Hermione smiled. 

"Good, we want to switch as soon as possible." Draco said very authoritatively, causing the three to look at him awkwardly. 

"I know this must have been hard, but it's all going to end soon." Harry added. 

"Thanks you guys for all you've done." Ginny smiled. 

"We're still not talking to you!" Ron said rather harshly at Ginny. 

"Excuse me?" Ginny backed away. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, no need to get a touchy." Draco held his hand out between Ginny and Ron. 

"I can't believe you're defending her!" Ron shot back to Draco. 

"Ron, she's your sister," Draco shook his head. "Remember?" 

"She's not my sister." Ron pointed towards Ginny. 

Ginny began to cry, and seeing the tears hurt Draco. 

"Look!" Draco grabbed Ron by his shirt collar. "Ginny's been through a lot, ok? She's had to live my life which isn't easy, she's been alone for five months, her friends had suddenly become her enemies. I thought you guys cleared everything up." 

"Hey, Draco, just chill, ok? It's you who's been through a lot." Harry said, trying to edge his way in between the two boys. 

"What are you talking about?" Draco turned his attention to Harry giving Ron a chance to get out of his grasp. 

"What are you talking about?" Harry replied. 

Just then the Common Room portrait swung open and two peopled walked in. None of them would have noticed except for the fact that one of them, a girl, was very loud and seemed to be fuming at her companion, a boy. 

"I can't believe you told this idiots what's happened! I thought we were going to work on this ourselves." The girl yelled. 

"I'm sorry." The boy responded, recoiling from the angry girl. 

Draco and Ginny turned around, as did Virginia and Drake. The four of them stared at each other, at a loss for words. 

"Holy crap!" Ron exclaimed. 

(A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but I'm going to not post on this for a while. I want to establish a few other stories on ff.net before i continue. I feel really inspired to start another story and I'm gong to. So for now it's going to end here. I know, I know, but I will get back to it. Who knows, I might feel inspired to write more of this story!!! Thanks guys for all your lovely reviews. YOu really don't know how good it makes me feel! Laterz!!!) 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

(A/N: Ok, here's the last chapter, and I mean last chapter! I can't spend more time on this, 'cause its done! I am now in the process of coming up with another cool, unique plot, or twist on an original, that will make your heads spin!  
  
Adela H)  
  
Chapter Sixteen:  
  
"Let me get this strait," Ron said, sitting across from Ginny, Draco, Virginia and Drake in a deserted classroom. "When our Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy went into this parallel universe Virginia Malfoy and Drake Weasley came into this one. And now Ginny and Draco are back, but Virginia and Drake are still here as well?"  
  
All four of them nodded their heads.  
  
"Curious." Hermione said, staring at them.  
  
"How are we going to get this fixed?" Harry asked.  
  
"See," Virginia Malfoy spoke up. "I knew this lot wouldn't be able to help us. They're pitiful!"  
  
"Why don't you just shut up and let them think?" Draco Malfoy shot back.  
  
"No one tells me to shut up!" Virginia stood up.  
  
"Well I just did, so shut up and sit down!"  
  
"Stop it!" Ginny yelled.  
  
Once the tension in the room calmed down, Hermione spoke up, "Ginny, Draco, when was the last time you knew you were in the other universe?"  
  
"Well, I had just left the common room only last night to meet Ginny by the lake." Draco said.  
  
"And I had dropped my things off in my room and no one seemed to care that I was in the Slytherin Tower last night too."  
  
"What did you guys do last night?"  
  
Ginny and Draco both exchanged a look as if to ask how much they should tell. Ron seemed to have seen the look, for he clenched his fists.  
  
"We, um, staid the night in the broom shed." Ginny admitted.  
  
Drake Weasley's eyes shot open, Virginia Weasley snorted and Ron stood up while Harry held him back.  
  
"I'm not sleeping with him just to get back to my world!" Virginia shouted, pointing towards Drake.  
  
"I didn't sleep with him!" Ginny yelled.  
  
Hermione shook her head, "Could you think of anything else you did? What you talked about?"  
  
"I told Draco that I had informed you of our predicament." Ginny offered.  
  
"And?" Hermione said.  
  
"And I took it alright." Draco continued. "We just-er-shared our feelings on this whole thing. We both just wished we could go back to our original states."  
  
"Do you remember the last time you were yourselves? Before you traveled to the parallel universe?"  
  
"Yes!" Ginny piped up. "Fred and George had played a horrible trick on me-"  
  
"And I wished I could be an only child with no money problems." Drake finished.  
  
"And I had a fight with my Father and I wished that I could have a family that noticed me." Draco said.  
  
"So, in order to get back, you just have to wish you were back."  
  
Everyone stared at Drake and Virginia, as if waiting for them to just disappear. Drake turned his gaze towards Virginia, who was staring at her fingernails. Virginia noticed the silence and looked up.  
  
"What?" She asked, puzzled.  
  
"Well, don't you want to go back?" Ginny asked.  
  
"Of course I do." Virginia said, but the stares just hardened. "Ok, ok, I think it's kind of nice to have a clean slate-not that it wouldn't stay cleaned." She began laughing. "I mean, come on, I have the whole of Hogwart's male population drooling over me, and them thinking I'm a nice girl."  
  
"Boys don't drool over me!" Ginny shouted.  
  
"You're so blind!" Virginia sounded exasperated. "Every guy who has a pulse knows you-me-we're beauties. They're just too scared because Ron is your brother and they think you have some silly crush on him." Virginia pointed towards Harry.  
  
Ginny couldn't believe she never noticed this before. Was it possible that guys noticed her? She just couldn't tell because she didn't want to believe it? This brought on another thought.  
  
"What have you been doing with my life? With my reputation?"  
  
"Oh, well, nothing too risqué."  
  
"What?" This time it was Ginny who stood up and was about to pummel Virginia.  
  
The commotion was so loud that Hermione had to cast a silencing charm on everyone. Once they realized their shouts weren't being heard, they stopped.  
  
"Well, now that you know," Virginia said, sitting back down. "I don't want to be here any more. My covers blown, might as well go back."  
  
"Seriously?" Drake said. "You want to go back now?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Something astonishing began to happen. There were no windows in the classroom, yet a slight breeze was teasing their senses. Drake and Virginia both began to fade slowly until they finally were only a memory.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about this, but I wasn't myself." Ginny said to the forlorn looking boy in front of her.  
  
That was probably the tenth time she had to say that sentence. Boys she had never even paid much attention to before had come up to her, reminiscing nights Ginny just couldn't remember. She had turned them all down, and all for a secret hope.  
  
The boy left and Ginny was free to continue on her way. She had reached the library door and opened it wide. Searching the faces in the library she finally saw the one she wanted. She walked towards the table at the far side of the room and sat down on the opposite side of Draco. He looked up at hearing someone nearing, then leaned back in his chair.  
  
"Enjoying your life?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
There was a short pause before Ginny said, "Remember last night?" Draco nodded. "Well, I know that now we're here, in our world, you probably are thinking that it was stupid. And I just wanted to say I understand." Ginny gave a weak smile.  
  
Draco studied Ginny from where he sat, then said, "You are such a liar!" Ginny looked shocked. "If that was true, then how come you just blew off every guy Virginia had reeled in for you?"  
  
"How did you know that?"  
  
"I know everything," Draco said, leaning in closer. "The fact is, I don't regret it one bit, and now that I'm here, I wouldn't mind spending another night in that broom shed."  
  
Ginny began to blush slightly. "Well you'll have to do it alone, because it was bloody cold!"  
  
Draco began to laugh. "I'm sure we could find some place in the castle."  
  
"I don't think so!"  
  
This conversation continued on the same strain for some time. The magic in the air sensed the contentment and was proud of its accomplishment, ready to move on to other people and other wishes. 


End file.
